Presented by National Music Centre in collaboration with Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre, the Mid-Autumn Festival will celebrate the music and traditions of Canada’s Chinese and Asian communities from September 20-22 at Studio Bell.
About the Mid-Autumn Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, is a significant cultural event traditionally celebrated by Chinese and other Asian communities, symbolizing the full moon harvest, unity, harmony, and the gathering of family and friends. National Music Centre (NMC)’s three-day festival will capture the spirit of this cherished tradition, bringing a national perspective to a popular annual event among local Chinese and Asian communities, while bridging traditional Chinese culture with mainstream Canadian culture.
Saturday, September 21 – Daytime Schedule
Admission is free for all daytime activities at Studio Bell from 10 am to 5 pm.
| 10 am – 5 pm | Local Vendor Market | Level 1, Drop-in Zone |
| 10 am – 5 pm | United Calgary Chinese Association Traditional Opera Costume & Makeup Exhibition | Level 5, Cloud Lounge |
| 10:00 am | Lion Dance & Dragon Dance by Jing Wo Cultural Association | Level 1, Drop-in Zone |
| 10:30 am | Silk Road Dance School Demonstration | Level 1, Drop-in Zone |
| 10:30 am | TaoTao Chinese Opera Demonstration | Level 5, Skybridge |
| 11:30 am | Kimball Theatre Organ Demonstration | Level 3, Sound Affects |
| 11:45 am | Calgary Jiang Zhe Shanghai Association Jasmine Orchestra Performance | Level 5, Skybridge |
| 12:00 pm | Tundra Swan Dance School performance | Level 1, Drop-in Zone |
| 12:30 pm | Harmony Guzheng Ensemble Performance | Level 5, Skybridge |
| 1:00 pm | Feature Performance: Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble | Level 2, Performance Hall |
| 2:00 pm | Kimball Theatre Organ Demonstration | Level 3, Sound Affects |
| 2:15 pm | Zhao Li Dance School Performance | Level 1, Drop-in Zone |
| 2:15 pm | YY Music Choir Performance | Level 5, Skybridge |
| 3:00 pm | Mid-Autumn Star Performance Showcase | Level 2, Performance Hall |
| 3:15 pm | Newland Senior Service Centre with Calgary Chinese Dongbei Association | Level 1, Drop-in Zone |
| 4:00 pm | Calgary Chinese Orchestra Performance | Level 5, Skybridge |
| 4:15 pm | Calgary Happy 50+ Association Tai Chi Demonstration | Level 1, Drop-in Zone |
About Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble
Formed in 1989, the Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble is the first professional Chinese music organization established in Canada. The Ensemble consists of highly accomplished instrumentalists who combine technical mastery with a passionate approach to music. Based in Vancouver, BC, they continue to inspire contemporary compositions and interdisciplinary projects for Chinese instruments in Canada.
Apply for Mid-Autumn Star
To celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, NMC is presenting a special Mid-Autumn Star event showcasing Alberta's vocal talent. Emerging artists are encouraged to submit their music to be considered for the singing contest. The top 10 submissions will be invited to practice and perform for festival attendees during the day on Saturday, September 21 and Sunday, September 22. Then, they’ll come back to perform live in the evening of September 22, where each artist will receive live feedback onstage from a panel of established musicians. Here, the top three performers, as determined by our jury, will be awarded trophies, with a special distinction for the first-place winner — a full day recording session in NMC’s world class recording studios.
The rules are as follows:
- You must be a resident of Alberta
- Submitted songs should be no longer than 4 minutes
- Submissions can be original songs or covers of existing songs
- If selected, this song must be performed with only backing tracks or acoustic guitar as accompaniment
- Songs can also be performed acapella
- Upload your song in MP3 or WAV format
- Exported file must be a MP3 or WAV file
- If you intend to perform to backing tracks, backing tracks (with no vocals) must be submitted in this form
- No swears or derogatory language
- If selected, singers are responsible for their own travel expenses and logistics
You must be available to appear and perform live on September 21 and September 22 to be eligible for this contest. Tickets to the finale on the evening of September 22 will be available to finalists, no purchase necessary.
Artists interested in performing can upload their submissions at studiobell.ca/mid-autumn-star by Friday, September 6 at 11:59 pm MT.