“Elegant Chinese Folk Music” Finds its Way to ExxonMobil on 9/25/2017

On September 25th, 2017, ExxonMobil, the world’s largest gas and oil company with 10,000 plus employees in Greater Houston, hosted one of a kind concert of “Elegant Chinese Folk Music” for its employees at its northwest Houston Campus.  The visiting Tianjin Chinese Traditional Orchestra is a topnotch performing art group in China that boasts of many renowned singers and instrumentalists.  The response to the announcement of the concert was so enthusiastic that all seats were booked immediately within hours.

The 19 Chinese artists’ performance resonated profoundly with the American audience, who applauded and stood up in ovation after each show.  One gentleman in the audience was so moved by the music that he was in tears during the entire concert.  Mr. Gao Jiulin, the leader of the Tianjin Chinese Traditional Orchestra, was deeply impressed by ExxonMobil employees’ appreciation for Chinese folk music. He felt overcome with emotion when he commented that music is “truly a universal language that transcends national boundaries.”

The concert received generous support from many organizations in the community, including Deputy Consul General Wang Yu from the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China, Cultural Consuls Mr. Gu Haiyong and Liu Yiran, Director of Woodlands Township Mr. John Brown, President of the Woodlands Convention and Visit Bureau Mr. Nick Wolda, Senior managers of ExxonMobil Ms. Tze San Koh and Ms. Xiaojun Huang, Dean of Music Department of Lone Star College and Choir Director Mr. Mark Marotto, and Artistic Director of The Woodlands Symphony Orchestra Mr. Darryl Bayer.

President of the Woodlands Chinese Cultural Center Ms. Veronica Bai said “The Woodlands Chinese Cultural Center successfully located such a wonderful concert into the ExxonMobil. It was the first Chinese concert in the North Houston, but with a sensational result that we unexpected. The Woodlands Chinese Culture Center will continue to bring more excellent Chinese professional art and performance groups into the Woodlands area to enrich the local people life, and encourage cultural exchanges between China and the United States in the future.”