Boston, Sept. 10, 2015, — Foundation for Chinese Performing Arts will present Desert River concert at NEC’s Jordan Hall on Sept. 26. Mr. Yazhi Guo, also known as China’s Louis Armstrong and one of the best suona players in China, will showcase his take on Jazz music after studying at Berklee College of Music for past three years.
Desert River Concert Featuring
“China’s Louis Armstrong!”
Yazhi Guo 郭雅志, suona
with
Lin Lin 林琳, piano
Tao He何涛 , erhu
Ping Li 李平, dulcimer
Saturday, September 26, 2015, 8 PM
New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall
Tickets: $15-$50, Order online: www.ChinesePerformingArts.net, 781-259-8195
Program
1, Farewell My Concubine 霸王別姬 (suona and piano), Chinese classical arr. by Yi Zhu 朱毅
2, Flute and Drum at Sunset 夕陽簫鼓 (piano solo), Chinese classical arr. by Ying-Hai Li 黎英海
3, Chinese Capriccio 中國暢想曲 (suona and piano) by An-Lon Huang 黃安倫
Intermission
4, Silk Road Fantasia 絲綢之路幻想曲, 2nd and 5th mvt (guanzi and piano) by Geping Zhao 赵季平
5, Henan Ditty 河南小曲 (erhu and dulcimer), Chinese folk song arr. by Ming-yuan Liu 刘明源
6, Desert River 大漠长河 (suona and piano) by Haofu Zhang 张豪夫, “World Premiere”
The Artists
Yazhi Guo 郭雅志, suona
Yazhi Guo, received his Artistic Diploma from Berklee College of Music 2015, is widely known as “THE” best Suona player in Asia. He graduated from Beijing Central Conservatory of Music, and was invited to stay on as an instructor for the next nine years.
The “Flexible Core” invented by him in 1993 was a great contribution to Suona history. It solved the problem in Suona’s playing of complicated modulations and temporary inflexions. It allows Suona, a folk instrument, to play in large modern orchestras, and greatly broadening the expressive force of this instrument.
In 1998, he performed at the State Banquet welcoming President Clinton’s visit to China. Started in 1999, he served as the principal suona of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra and became the figured soloist. In April 2007, Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra presented him in a large scaled sold-out concert titled “Guo Yazhi’s Wind Music World-Legend of Suona” at Hong Kong Cultural Center Concert Hall.
In July 2012, the Orchestra presented him in another concert titled “Guo Yazhi’s Wind Music World 2-Raising the Bridal Sedan and Welcoming the Bride”. His talent and deep expression was enthusiastically received with critical acclaim. Yazhi has appeared many times on CCTV. His performances changed people’s attitude towards the “folk” instrument Suona. He is a versatile and charismatic player. Apart from the Suona, he can also play saxophone, clarinet, piccolo, flute, pipe, sheng, ocarina, cucurbit flute, and even ‘leaf’.
Lin Lin 林琳, piano
Ms. Lin from China received her Bachelor, Master, and Doctor of Music degrees in piano performance from the University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music (CCM) under Eugene and Elizabeth Pridonoff.
An accomplished soloist, chamber musician and piano accompanist, Lin has won prizes in many competitions including the Concerto Competitions of CCM. She appeared with many orchestras, including the Wellesley, Midland-Odessa, Northern Kentucky, Philharmonia Symphony Orchestra of Cincinnati, among others. She has served on the faculty of Wright State University, Musical Arts Center of Cincinnati, the Preparatory Department of CCM and M. Steinert & Sons. She has also served on the jury of piano competitions, such as the Steinway Society of Massachusetts, the Dandelion Auditions for Outstanding Youth in Beijing, China.
Sarah Tao He 何涛, erhu
Graduated with honor from the Central Conservatory of Music Beijing, Ms. He was an erhu and gaohu player at the China Broadcast National Orchestra. She was invited to Singapore by Expect Music Record Company in 1999 and later joined the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra. She moved to Boston with her husband Mr. Yazhi Guo and their two daughters in 2012.
Ping Li 李平 , Dulcimer:
Ms. Ping Li was the principal dulcimer player and first soloist of the China Central Orchestra for Traditional Music. She dazzled audiences with her performances for over thirty years in more than twenty countries worldwide including the United States and major European and Asian cities. She was the winner of many international dulcimer competitions including the Second Prize of the China National Traditional Music Competition in 1989, the Gold Prize in the 13th World Professional Youth Symposium in Pyongyang, North Korea in 1988, and the Japanese Chamber Music Competition Gold Medal at Osaka, Japan. Ms. Li has composed, published, performed and recorded master works not only on the dulcimer, but also on the GuZheng. Ms. Li is the Founder and President of the Boston Art School for Chinese Music.
Tickets: (Children under 6 not admitted)
$50: VIP Reserved Seats, $30: open seating at non-VIP section , $15: student open seating at non-VIP section
100 free student tickets (age 14 and up) available at
http://www.chineseperformingarts.net/specials/20150926/index.htm
Rush tickets $10 for students and senior, available 6:30 pm on concert day at Jordan Hall Box Office only, 617-585-1260.
Order Online:
http://www.chineseperformingarts.net/tickets/index.htm (no fee) 781-259-8195
Email: [email protected]