Xiang Gao will lead a special trip to China in June 2015.

2015 China trip

Applications due Jan. 15 for 2015 special trip to China with Xiang Gao

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11:43 a.m., Dec. 4, 2014--The University of Delaware has announced the ninth annual special trip voluntarily planned and led by Xiang Gao and Renee Dong for alumni, faculty, staff and friends of UD and its Master Players Concert Series to visit China, the Middle Kingdom, in June 2015.

The deadline for applications is Jan. 15, 2015. The trip brochure, with itinerary and application forms, is posted here.

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The journey will be led by volunteer directors Xiang Gao, UD Trustees Distinguished Professor of Music, and his wife Renee Dong, instructor of Chinese in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures.

The trip will include visits to Beijing, where the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace and the Temple of Heaven are located; Xi'An, the site of the 2,000-year-old Terracotta Warriors; Shanghai, the largest port in the world and the “Pearl of the East;” and Suzhou, the city of traditional Chinese gardens and birth place of Chinese silk.

The success of the China trips in the past eight summers was not due simply to the aforementioned world famous sites seen by the group, but also due to the highly educational element and cross-cultural experience provided by the two volunteer directors.

“This is a personalized VIP tour I designed for the alumni, friends and employees at the University of Delaware, as well as friends of the Master Players Concert Series. I cannot think of a better way to donate my time to promote cultural exchange and understanding between the people of the two great nations. This year marks the 35th anniversary of the normalization of Sino-U.S. relations, and Renee and I will try our best to continue to make this trip the most wonderful way to visit China for all people who are connected to our great University,” Gao said.

The participants will learn about the Chinese people as well as their lives, history, philosophy, religion and society with the two professors. The food in China will be another highlight of the trip, as the menu of almost every meal was selected personally by Gao, who admits to being a true “foodie.”

Special insights

The trips have benefited tremendously in the non-English speaking country from the fact that professors Gao and Dong are natives of China, which allows them to provide special insights to the tour group. “Because we are both bilingual and bicultural we know what is most valuable to the travelers,” Gao said. “Plus we have directed the UD Study Abroad China program seven times and the alumni China trip eight times, so we are able to make the trip a true VIP experience for our friends.”

As in previous years, Gao and Dong volunteered as organizers and guides for the UD alumni and friends China trip this past summer. Gao also gave violin recitals and master classes in Hong Kong, Chengdu and Beijing while Dong gave two lectures on business Chinese and second language acquisition at the South West University of Finance and Economics (SWUFE) in Chengdu. 

Additionally, Gao visited four national parks with another group of friends of Master Players.

Alumni China Trip Fund (Golden Pig Fund)

The trip benefited not just the participants; it also served to raise funds for scholarships and research.

Gao said that after many years of extremely successful and well-received trips, the participants established a scholarship fund for UD students called the Golden Pig Fund -- the first trip took place during the Chinese year of the golden pig -- to honor the trip and the work of the volunteer leaders.

Many UD students have received the Alumni China Trip Awards, scholarships funded by donations from the Golden Pig Fund. These students traveled to China to study music, language, culture and history.

Research on Chinese language/second language education conducted at UD by Dong and her colleagues, and mentors are also benefiting from the fund. 

This year, the Master Players Concert Series’ Holiday Pops concert on Dec. 6 will also be made free of charge to anyone 14 or under, a gift from participants who traveled to China with Gao, who is also the producer of the fun family concert event.

Professor Gao and Master Players

Born and raised in Beijing, Gao came to the United States to study at the University of Michigan and after graduation came to teach at the University of Delaware. 

While teaching in Newark, Gao maintains an international concert career as one of the world's top concert violinists from China. Most recently, he became the first Chinese violinist with an endowed professorship in the U.S. For more information on Gao's music career, see the website.

For information on Gao's upcoming concert in the area and to learn more about the UD Master Players Concert Series, of which he is the artistic director, visit the Master Players website or call the general manager of Master Players Tamara Smith at 302-831-2850.

Photo by Evan Krape

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