UK HealthCare

UK Arts in HealthCare Presents Chinese New Year Celebration

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LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 29, 2014) --The UK Arts in HealthCare program will team with music therapists, dancers, singers and musicians to present a Chinese New Year celebration at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, in the Albert B. Chandler Hospital's Pavilion A Auditorium.

The show is free and open to the public.

The show will feature several segments showcasing the work of Chinese-American artists, including a children's choir from Garth Elementary School in Scott County, pipa (Chinese lute) music from students of the Chinese Music, Dance and Arts Program, and a fashion show with traditional Chinese costumes by designer Ping Zeng.

The Chinese Music, Dance and Arts Program (CMDAP) encourages students of all cultural heritages to develop their interest in Chinese culture through music, dance, and visual arts. CMDAP was founded in 2004 by Hong Shao and Shuling Fister.

A unique element of the program will be a presentation by the University of Kentucky School of Music faculty Drs. Lori Gooding and Olivia Yinger, who will discuss their work training Chinese educators in the art of music therapy.

"Music therapy as a profession is not as advanced in China as it is in the United States, so we are training Chinese teachers in some of the basic concepts that inform our practice as music therapists here in the States," Gooding said. "Olivia (Yinger) and I travel to China approximately every six months to conduct training sessions for these teachers, whose work focuses on individuals with special needs."

The celebration will also be broadcast to patient rooms in UK Chandler Hospital, Kentucky Children's Hospital, and UK Good Samaritan Hospital.

"We are delighted to partner with The Chinese Music, Dance and Arts Program and the UK School of Music to offer this unique performance to our family of UK patients, faculty, staff and arts supporters," said Jackie Hamilton, director of the UK Arts in HealthCare Program. "The arts and artists are powerful and positive forces in the healing process for patients, their families, and the faculty and staff who provide their care."