Chinese New Year’s Party draws crowd

Members of the CNND and department of pathology/microbiology, enjoy the festivities. From left, Julie Ditter, administrator; Huanyu Dou and Jie Liu, postdoctoral fellows; and Robin Taylor, administrator assistant.

For the second straight year, the NHS/UNMC campus was the host site for the 2003 Chinese New Year’s Party. On Feb. 6, up to 321 guests enjoyed continuous live entertainment from Chinese musicians and singers in the NHS Storz Pavilion, while feasting on eight different entrees.

“I think the party was well organized and very successful,” said Zenggang Pan, UNMC graduate assistant in the department of pathology/microbiology, and one of the party’s coordinators. “I want to extend our thanks to all the organizers and volunteers. There was a great showcase of Chinese culture and talent this year. Although these celebrations are symbolic, we feel this is an important opportunity for over 300 Chinese students, scholars and immigrants to join with their friends in sharing Chinese culture and honoring this traditional Chinese festival.”

JianHong Sun, plays the erhu, a traditional Chinese stringed instrument which is played like a cello.

The audience consisted of 128 adults, 131 students and 55 children.

Opening remarks were by Steve Scarpello, assistant to the mayor of Omaha, followed by clarinet player Yifan Wu; erhu (traditional Chinese stringed instrument played like a cello) performer JianHong Sun, UNMC post-doctoral research assistant in the department of pediatrics nephrology.

Other entertainment was provided by opera singer Shaoai Jiang, singing selections from the Beijing Opera; flute soloist, Claudio K. Huang; traditional Chinese dance by upper class members of the Omaha Chinese School; and young members of the Omaha Chinese School performing a Chinese version of the “Rabbit and the Turtle.”

Children from the Omaha Chinese School perform a Chinese version of the “Rabbit and the Turtle.”

Providing volunteer wait staff really was a crowd pleaser this year. This year, servers brought plate after plate of various Chinese entrees, plus mounds of rice, to the tables so guests never had to leave their seats.

“Guests chatted with old friends and made new friends at the party,” Pan said. “We are really looking forward to our next reunion in 2004 and doing even better.”