SANFORD - On Sunday, Feb. 24, the Confucius Classroom at Central Carolina Community College will usher in the new lunar year by hosting "Among the Lights," a Chinese New Year musical event.

Scheduled for the day of the Chinese New Year Lantern Festival, the upcoming Confucius Classroom event will blend the musical experience of small ensemble concert with the educational insights of a special guest lecture.

"We are excited about this event," said CCCC Dean of University Transfer and Health Science Jon Matthews. "Since its inception, the college's Confucius Classroom has provided opportunities for local residents to enjoy live demonstrations of Chinese language, arts, and culture. 'Among the Lights' is unique in that it provides the audience with an intimate musical and literary perspective on a key element of the Chinese New Year holiday."

This event will feature visiting musicians from the North Carolina-Research Triangle Park Chinese Music Instruments Ensemble who will perform seasonal songs on traditional Chinese instruments.

Begun in 2003 to promote Chinese culture and community enrichment, the Ensemble's performances have included a Kun Opera at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill; the Eno River Festival at Eno River State Park in Durham; and a lecture demonstration at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem.

Joining the Ensemble musicians will be Ling Huang, visiting professor for the Confucius Classroom at CCCC, who will explain not only the significance of the songs to be performed but also the importance of other symbols and traditions associated with the Chinese New Year.

Also called Spring Festival, Chinese New Year marks the arrival of spring, an annual multiple-day observance that ends with the Lantern Festival, a lively celebration of fortune and renewal held on the day of the first full moon of the new lunar year.

As with other Chinese New Year activities and observances, the Lantern Festival has several customs unique to itself. Common customs include lighting lanterns, solving lantern riddles, and setting off fireworks; certain foods, songs, and poems also have great significance for this festival.

The CCCC Confucius Classroom "Among the Lights" event is scheduled for 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 24, in the auditorium of the Dennis A. Wicker Civic Center in Sanford.

Admission to this event is free, but seating is limited. Special seating accommodations and large-group options are available. To reserve free tickets, send an email to confucius@cccc.edu.

In partnership with the North Carolina State University Confucius Institute, the CCCC Confucius Classroom promotes an intercultural exchange of language and culture through a range of educational and outreach activities, including hosting cultural events and offering both curriculum and continuing education Chinese language courses.

For more information about the Confucius Classroom, visit www.cccc.edu/confucius.