University Choir from Cal State Long Beach to Perform in China

Some 33 members of the University Choir at California State University, Long Beach will perform in the People's Republic of China through July 5 as the group joins other outstanding school choirs invited to sing halfway around the world.

Under the direction of Music Professor Jonathan Talberg, the choir is teaming with singers from Chapman University and the San Gabriel Civic Chorus to perform "Carmina Burana" in Beijing's legendary abode of emperors, the Forbidden City. The Central Beijing Philharmonic Orchestra is accompanying them.

The Long Beach musicians will continue their tour by singing African-American spirituals at the Great Wall of China before visiting Shanghai and Hong Kong. In all, the 12-day excursion will involve six days of presenting music and five days of sightseeing for the local travelers.

"This is a wonderful chance for a cultural exchange," noted Talbert, the director of choral, vocal and opera studies at Cal State Long Beach. "This is a chance to see a culture that is twice as old as western culture, and it's an opportunity to make friends with people half a world away."

The music professor said the 2001-2002 academic year was a "great" one for the choir. This trip is a reward of sorts, and he and his students are looking forward to having a great time Talberg, who joined CSULB's Music Department in the fall of 2000, has a bachelor's degree from Chapman University. He also has a master's degree from and is a doctoral candidate at the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music.