The Romanian Cultural Institute in Beijing, in partnership with the Orchestra and Choir of Nord Anglia School Beijing, Shunyi, successfully organized the Christmas carol concert "Holy Christmas Night" on Thursday, December 19, 2024, at 5:30 PM, at the ICR Beijing headquarters in Galaxy SOHO. The Choir and Orchestra of Nord Anglia School Beijing, composed of 45 Chinese students aged 8-14, performed 16 Christmas songs under the direction of soprano Cornelia Crainic, currently a music teacher at the bilingual school, and pianist Timothy O'Reilly, the school’s director. The concert's repertoire included carols performed in English and Romanian, in orchestral, choir, duet, and solo formats.
Around 300 guests attended the event, likely the largest audience for an event held at the ICR Beijing headquarters. The event also enjoyed extensive online promotion, registering 800 views and over 120 reposts on the WeChat platform.
At the beginning of the concert, ICR Beijing Director Liviu Țăranu welcomed the performers and extended holiday greetings to the attendees. The concert opened with the NAS orchestra performing "Winter Wonderland," "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence," and "Rockin’ Jingle Bell." The school choir, directed by soprano Cornelia Crainic, followed with seven English carols: "Where Are You Christmas," "Believe," "Winter Fantasy," "Here Comes the Snow," "Deck the Halls," "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." A piano and violin duet performed "Vivaldi Winter" and "The Trumpet Will Sound." The most anticipated moment was the performance of Romanian carols: "Sus la poarta raiului," "Deschide ușa, creștine," "O ce veste minunată," and "La Vitleem colo-n jos," sung by an 8-year-old Chinese student and soprano Cornelia Crainic, both solo and in duet with her husband.
The entire repertoire lasted 75 minutes.
At the end of the concert, the ICR Beijing team presented the performers with gifts, including a book of Romanian folktales translated into Chinese, sweets, and toys. Guests were also invited to enjoy traditional Romanian delicacies.
Cornelia Crainic, a Romanian soprano, vocal coach, and educator, holds a Master of Arts in Music from the National University of Music Bucharest. With a deep passion for music, Cornelia has dedicated her life to perfecting her performance art and music education. Throughout her career, she has received numerous awards and distinctions for her outstanding performances and participation in international music, dance, and arts festivals. In addition to her artistic endeavors, Cornelia is passionate about music education, currently teaching music theory and vocal techniques to students of all ages at NAS Beijing.
Timothy O'Reilly, an educator and performer, is currently the Director of the Arts Department at Nord Anglia School Beijing, Shunyi.
Nord Anglia School Beijing (NAS) is a bilingual private school offering primary, middle, and high school education in a boarding system.
The concert organized by ICR Beijing, "Holy Night," the last event of 2024, was an opportunity to celebrate the Holy Nativity in China’s capital and promote Romania's cultural heritage, particularly its beautiful Christmas carols, symbols of faith and national identity.
