VANCOUVER CHINESE MUSIC ENSEMBLE Musician Biographies

For more information or to listen to the ensemble please contact:

Vancouver Chinese Instrumental Music Society 410 – 111 W. Hastings Street Vancouver, B.C. V6B 1H4

Tel: (604) 683 8240 Fax: (604) 683 7911 Email: [email protected] www.vancouverchinesemusic.ca

Musician Bios Page 1 of 4

Ji Rong Huang – (Chinese violin) Artistic Director Bruce Henczel – percussion Ji Rong graduated from the Shanghai Speaker Conservatory of Music in China with a B.A. in Bruce Henczel began his musical studies at performance. He won an award for traditional age three. A multi-instrumentalist, he music instrumental performance in a national graduated from Capilano College at the top competition in China and continued to of his class musically, and academically. He performed throughout China. Since arriving in received his Master of Music in percussion Vancouver in 1988, Ji Rong has given performance from the University of British hundreds of performances across Canada Columbia, where he won many awards, and the U.S., including appearances on notably, the Concerto Competition. He is an Rogers TV and CBC radio programs, and has active chamber musician and composer. He performed for the Canadian Governor currently has two solo cds, and is working on a General Concert as an Erhu soloist. He is highly world music Mass. His print music is published skilled in playing different Chinese bowstrings internationally by Honeyrock Publishing, Inc., instruments. He has merged Western classical in Pennsylvania. His diverse musical interests and contemporary music culture into Chinese allow him to facilitate drum circles and music and received praise and acclaim from workshops utilizing rhythms from around the many Northern American audiences. His Music world. for RCMP has been performed extensively throughout Canada. Ji Rong is the artistic director of Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble and is a guest lecturer at the UBC School of Music.

Musician Bios Page 2 of 4

Zhi Min – ruan (Chinese guitar)

Zhi Min Yu started her studies on the ruan and at an early age. In 1976, she joined the Gui Lian Liu – pipa (Chinese ) China Broadcast Performing Arts Troupe and Born in Shanghai, Gui Lian graduated from became very active in Beijing.Zhi Min and also stayed as a teacher in the Central appeared in the Asian Arts Festival in Hong Conservatory of Music, which is regarded the Kong in 1981, and in 1985 toured Japan as a best music school in China. Gui Lian Liu was founding member of the Chinese Folklore the youngest professor of music in China. She Troupe, earning her recognition as an has performed in numerous countries ambassador of Chinese folk arts to Japan. including Britain, U.S.A., France, Italy, Since immigrating to Canada in 1989, she has Germany, Finland, Austria, Russia, Japan, performed at various events throughout North Poland, Switzerland, Singapore, South Korea, America and has toured in Britain, France, Hong Kong and Macau. Her biography is listed Hawaii and Hong Kong. She has performed in in “Who’s Who of the World”, “Chinese many festivals and participated in recordings Famous Contemporary Writers and Artists”, for CBC, BBC, and TV. The CDs Endless and and “Chinese Famous Musicians”. She has Village Tales won West Coast Music Awards, also been highly recommended by a number and Endless and Nine Fold Heart each won a of local and international maestros. She used nomination for a Juno Award. to be the principal of the plucked instruments section of the of the Central Conservatory of Music, Director of Shanghai Pipa Society, and a member of the Chinese Musicians’ Association and Chinese National Orchestral Society.

Musician Bios Page 3 of 4

Wei Li – zheng (Chinese )

Nominated for the 2009 Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist Performer Zhong Xi Wu – & (Chinese Wei Li is one of the most respected & reed organ) maestros in China today. Born in Shan Tou, GuangDong, Wei Li began his training at the age of 12 from Maestro Guang Quan Yang. Born in northeastern China, Wu started Because of Li’s outstanding talent, he was learning reed and wind instruments at the admitted to Xinghai Conservatory at the age age of eight from his father and elder brother of 14, to embark on ten years of training who are both renowned musicians. He specializing in guzheng artistry, composition, graduated from the Heilongjiang College of and education. During this period, he was Performing Arts and was subsequently blessed to receive training from Professor An appointed as the lead suona player and Hua Chen, maestro of the Ling Nan Zheng composer for the Heilongjiang Repertory Style, and Maestro Yu Zhai Zhao, originator of Theatre. He has won many first prizes in music the Northern Style. Li was also enlightened by competitions and his name was cited in the other famous teachers such as Ning Xin Rao, “Who’s Who of the World” as the most Mao Gen Lin, Zheng Cao, and Ying Guo. Li is renowned professionals in China. Wu has performed as a soloist in China, Japan, Hong specially acclaimed for his artistry in traditional Kong, U.S.A. and Canada. He has been Ling Nan style, and is considered to represent actively involved in traditional the pinnacle of this style’s zheng artistry. Li has as well as contemporary theatre and has enjoyed a very successful career. After composed music for experimental theatre winning the first prize in guzheng solo productions in New York. composition, Meadow in Spring, both his Sigh of Home-Coming and Dream of An Opera were included in the Famous Chinese Guzheng Composition Encyclopedia. Among his over thirty compositions and arrangements, the most well-known are Dun Huang Guzheng Concerto, Soul of Ya Shan, Sigh of Home- Coming for solo Guzheng, Dream of An Opera, and Toll of Monastery Bell. Each of these pieces has won first, second, or third prize in national or provincial competitions. Musician Bios Page 4 of 4