About Zhi Yin
《知音合唱團》是由著名男高音歌唱家、聲樂教育家、指揮家談柏年先生于1997年在舊金山湾区组建成立，并担任音乐总监和指挥。《知音合唱團》是美國聯邦政府註冊的非盈利機構。二十六年來《知音》演唱了三百多首古今中外經典合唱作品，舉辦了一系列專題合唱音樂會。
2005年, 正值抗戰勝利60週年之際,《知音合唱團》組織發起了“黄河之聲”專題音樂會。在談柏年先生充滿激情的指揮下, 150位合唱團員和Nova Vista交響樂團合作演出的“黃河大合唱”極為成功。二千五百多位觀眾激動萬分,掌聲、歡呼聲不絕於耳, 為此我們不得不返場兩次,感人的場面難以忘懷！2009年《知音合唱團》舉辦了“百老匯之夜”專題音樂會,回顧了60年來音樂劇的發展歷史。 我們和上海音樂學院王作欣教授帶領的學生合作演繹了25齣經典音樂劇中的29首名曲。2010年舉辦了弘揚中華文化的“一樽還酹江月”中國古詩、古詞、古曲專題音樂會, 演唱了18首為古詩詞譜寫的歌曲, 並配以展現詩詞意境的幻燈片。2011年我們赴加拿大，與溫哥華溫馨合唱團同台交流演出。 2012年舉辦了 “Folk Songs around the World” 世界民歌之旅專題音樂會。我們帶著觀眾乘著歌聲的翅膀飛越五大洲四大洋, 以形式多樣的聲樂藝術形式，用10種語言演唱了40個國家的43首風格迥異、色彩絢麗的民歌。 2013年，我們以 “Songs of Hope”專題音樂會來表達追求和平、綠色地球和愛的願望。 2014年舉辦了“East Meets West”專題音樂會, 中西經典的聲樂和器樂作品在同一個舞台上相映生輝。2015年11月,《知音合唱團》赴上海、台北巡演, 在著名的上海音樂廳和台北國家音樂廳舉辦了兩場“飛翔吧,自由飛翔！”專場音樂會, 為《知音合唱團》寫下了新篇章。2016年，《知音》舉辦了“月之敘事曲”（Ballade To The Moon) 專題音樂會。我們用17首合唱曲敘述了古今中外有關月亮的故事。
2017年，適逢《知音合唱團》建團二十週年，我們特別組建了一個職業管弦樂團，製作了二十週年合唱精曲薈萃音樂會：Choral Fantasy。我們用中文、英文、拉丁文、意大利文和德文演唱了經典交響合唱，特別是貝多芬為鋼琴、樂隊和合唱寫的Choral Fantasy in C Minor，獲得圓滿成功。在觀眾經久不息的掌聲中，我們不得不返場把該交響曲最後一段大合唱再演唱一遍, 觀眾久久不願离場，場面令人感動難忘。2018年，我們舉辦了一場別開生面的集視覺和聽覺綜合藝術的主題音樂會：“人與自然”。當我們歌唱宇宙、大海、草原、森林、沙漠時，舞台天幕上放映著一幅幅美麗精緻的動態和靜態的大自然景觀。我們用歌聲和畫面警示天下Mahatma Gandhi 的名言： Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed. 2019年，我們舉辦了“東歐音樂之旅”專題音樂會,演唱了東歐著名作曲家Tchaikovsky、Liszt、Chopin、Dvorak、Smetana、Kodaly等經典作品和東歐各國民歌。隨後我們奔赴匈牙利參加第五屆Budapest Music Festival，與來自世界各國的19個音樂團體同台演出，交流切磋合唱藝術，弘揚中華文化。在音樂節演出結束後，我們分兩路北上維也納和南下Croatia，展開了音樂聖地之旅和自然景觀之旅。
2020年6月，我們原計劃要舉行“西歐音樂之旅暨紀念貝多芬誕辰250週年”專題音樂會。但是，新冠病毒疫情在美國爆發，我們不得不中斷排練，取消音樂會。隨即，我們覺悟到了知音合唱團應該在這漫長的疫情生活中，在這個艱難的歷史時刻做一件有意義的事。于是我們於2021年5月29日舉行了第二十三屆春之聲雲合唱音樂會：“The Memories of Covid-19 Pandemic”。這場在特殊時期以特殊的方式舉行的專題音樂會，是知音團員一年多來疫情生活的記錄，是這場世紀公共衛生災難的見證！歌聲為心靈楊帆，歌聲為生命謳歌。雲合唱音樂會的每一個音符裡，奔放著每一位知音團員在疫情中生命的熱情！音頻和視頻製作人員為這個長達70分鐘的精美製作付出了艱苦卓絕的努力！2022 年，時逢知音建團二十五週年，我們全體團員克服了Omicron疫情帶給我們的種種困難，在室外早春的寒風裡、毛毛細雨中堅持排練，我們戴著口罩心懷喜悅從日當午唱到日落西山、彩霞滿天！在漫長的疫情後，我們終於重返舞台，全程帶著口罩演出了“《知音》歷年主題音樂會回顧”專題音樂會，留下了彌足珍貴的回憶！2023年舉辦了“西歐音樂之旅”專題音樂會，演唱了從Purcell 到Handel、Haydn、Mozart、Beethoven、Schumann ，Verdi、Puccini、Brahms、Mahler等西歐著名作曲家的一批經典合唱作品。
我們將繼續懷著對音樂的熱愛、虔誠和敬畏之心，為追求合唱藝術不懈努力,製作更多富有文化內涵、人生感悟、藝術品味、社會意義的主題音樂會！
Zhi Yin Chorus, a registered nonprofit organization, was founded in 1997 by Mr. Bainian Tan, the renowned tenor and vocal educator. Our objective is to raise members’ music appreciation through choral singing and vocal production. Currently, Zhi Yin Chorus has more than 60 members with a wide variety of backgrounds and professions. With Mr. Bainian Tan as the Music Director and Conductor, the Chorus holds annual concerts and performs at community events. In the past 26 years we sang more than 300 choral music including classical music, world famous folk songs, Broadway songs, etc. Out of our annual concerts, there are 12 which are concerts with a particular theme.
In 2005, together with Nova Vista Symphony we held our 1st themed concert “The Voice of Yellow River Concert” including "Yellow River Cantata". In 2009 we had the themed concert "Broadway Nights" performing the highlights of the Broadway musicals in the past 60 years, together with the Shanghai Conservatory of Music’s Professor and students. In 2010 we had the themed concert "Toast to the River Moon" to introduce Chinese classical poetry and music to American society. In 2012 we had "Folk Songs around the World" as the theme of our concert. Our themed concert in 2013 was "Songs of Hope" which expressed our quest for peace, green earth and love. In our 2014 "East Meets West" concert, Chinese and western classical vocal and instrumental music gloriously played on the same stage. In November 2015, we held the themed concert "Flying Free!" at the renowned Shanghai Concert Hall and Taipei National Concert Hall. In 2016 "Ballade To The Moon" is the theme of our concert.
Year 2017 was the twentieth anniversary of Zhi Yin Chorus. To celebrate it, we held the themed concert "Choral Fantasy". We sang Beethoven's "Choral Fantasy in C Minor" and some world famous classical choral songs. In 2018 we had the themed concert "Man and Nature". With our songs we called for an awakening of human reason: Be grateful to live on this beautiful and rich earth! We expressed what Mahatma Gandhi said: " Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed." In 2019 our themed concert is named "Eastern Europe Music Journey". After the concert we went to Hungary to participate in the fifth Budapest Music Festival. In 2021 we held our virtual concert "The memories of Covid-19 Pandemic". This concert records Zhi Yin members' life in the pandemic, and witnesses the public health disaster of the century! The audio and video editors made their tremendous efforts for the exquisite production. Year 2022 was the 25th anniversary of Zhi Yin Chorus. To celebrate it we held the concert "Twelve Theme Concerts Reviews". To make this concert come true，all Zhi Yin members overcame various difficulties caused by the pandemic. We persisted in rehearsing outdoor in cold wind of early spring even in drizzle. Wearing masks on our faces but with joy in our hearts, we sang from noon till sunset! Finally we got back to the stage and successfully performed in the concert with masks on our faces, leaving precious and unforgettable memories! In 2023 our themed concert is named "Western Europe Music Journey". We san a lot of famous choral music works by Mozart、Beethoven、Schumann 、Verdi、Puccini、Brahms and Mahler.
Zhi Yin Chorus will continue to make unremitting efforts to pursue the perfection of choral art with devotion and awe for music!