Lunar New Year music reverberates at US venues

NEW YORK - "Without music, life would be a mistake."

The words of Friedrich Nietzsche must have eluded no one, as artists adopted a plethora of music genres to ensure this year's Lunar New Year celebrations in the United States were a success.

From Peking Opera's stylized singing to Frank Sinatra's evocative tunes and music maestro Tan Dun to dashing young composer Du Yun, and Western instruments such as the violin to the traditional Chinese zither, melodies of classics and modern favorites spoke directly to the ears and hearts of audiences in settings as diverse as the solemn Kennedy Center in Washington or a bustling transportation hub in New York City.