What an absolute pleasure to have been invited to The Spring Festival Gala organised by The University of Birmingham Chinese Students and Scholars Association, formerly known as the Chinese Students’ Association of The University of Birmingham. This event took place of Friday 24th January 2025 at 7pm.

The Spring Gala Festival was an enthralling celebration of the Chinese New Year, 2025 YISI Year of Snake. It was held in the iconic Birmingham Town Hall and was attended by The CEO and Chair of the Birmingham Chinatown Business Association,  The Lord Mayor accompanied by his wife, Simon Foster the West Midlands Police and Crimes Commissioner and many other prestigious representatives of the community of Birmingham.

As we took our seats, everyone had a gift bag the contents of which included the show guide, calendar, raffle ticket, a sachet of a natural energy drink and other leaflets. We wondered curiously what the raffle ticket would be for.

We were greeted on stage by smartly dressed students, the young men in suits and ties and the ladies in stunning, eye-catching outfits that seemed to be beautiful combination of the two cultures and sparkled in the spotlight. They took turns to speak in both their mother tongue Mandarin and English making it an inclusive event for all attendees.

It became sweetly apparent of the sense of pride they have for their country of origin as they continually referred to it as ‘The Motherland’.

The show commenced with ‘I Love You China’, by Wang Qian and Fan Qiuyao , a beautiful combination of soprano singing and a wonderful piano performance, and ode to “Donde Lieta Usci”, from the opera “La Boheme”. This musical piece set a precedent for what the rest of the show would hold.

The show continued with the playing of traditional instruments such as the Chinese GuZheng, passionate pianos and violin pieces.

After the performance ‘Red’ a popular rap tune by ‘Kindergarten Killer’, which was both dramatic and powerful in delivery, the audience were invited to take part in the raffle. As everyone keenly searched for their tickets, they were astounded to hear that the prizes were a return flight to China and a cruise ticket for two people. Those who initially could not find their ticket, tried looking a little harder! The winners were unmistakeably elated at winning such a prize.

This act was followed by ‘Old Hits, New Tricks’, with participants dubbing over classic films, and tv programmes. This charmed the audience with their talent, flair and humour.

The next performance of ‘Whiplash’ by a group of dynamic dance performers, expressed that they are not constricted by rules. This energetic dance was performed against the sound rhythmic house and rapid bass, showcasing their brilliance and personality.

The hosts then came on to stage with various teddy bears of all colours which they threw into the eagerly waiting audience. It was the continuous interaction between performances with the audience that kept them feeling as being part of a collective.
The final performance was a combination of ‘traditional folk music with modern rap elements’, which perfectly conveyed the stance of the new generation, accepting and admiring the past whilst embracing the present and the future.

I asked Ian Henery, Host of The Ian Henery Show, Black Country Radio Xtra, his thoughts on this mesmerizing event. 

"I was chuffed to have been invited" said Ian Henery "and to represent Black Country Radio.  Xtra is the community part of our radio station where we champion the community.  We have plans for expansion in 2025 and celebrating the different communities and festivals in Birmingham is high on our agenda."

The Spring Gala Festival ended with a heartfelt acknowledgement to the all the fourteen performances, the hosts, to all those that had helped with the show and finally to the audience who had taken this emotional journey of adventure, acknowledgement and pride. The show was mesmerising from the outset, the outfits, the artistic skills in music, dance. song and performance.

This Birmingham Chinese New Year Gala, presented by The University of Birmingham, Chinese Students’ and Scholars Association was an absolute delight and was executed seamlessly. Anyone would have been mistaken to think that this was executed by people with many years of experience, but their ability, talent and professionalism exceeded on all levels. It not only showcased the beauty of tradition, love of language and culture, but through the different performative styles it has exhibited how theses cultures have uniquely fused with modernity to give a feast for the eyes and ears.

This interactive show, through its powerful and dramatic performances immersed us in the love of beauty, for tradition, an acceptance of modernity and filled us with wonder and awe. We parted with the sincere best wishes for us to have hope, love, prosperity and to remember the ‘Motherland’.

My message to all those celebrating, 2025 Year of Snake, ‘Happy Chinese New Year!’ May it be filled with peace, prosperity and love.

By Saida Chowdhury