Yang Xuefei, one of the world’s finest classical guitarists, will perform new pieces from her latest album “Sketches of China” as well as beloved Western compositions in Shenzhen. Talented young pipa (a pluck string Chinese instrument) player Sun Ying and master flutist Zhang Weiliang will collaborate.
Yang Xuefei
Yang released her third album under Universal Music China’s Decca label in August, featuring original compositions for guitar from Chinese composers such as Tan Dun and Chen Yi.
Zhang Weiliang
Sun Ying
The album also collects traditional Chinese music pieces and folk songs including “A Lovely Rose,” “A Moonlit Night on the Spring River” and “Silver Clouds Chasing the Moon.” The globally-known melody “The Moon Represents My Heart” and other contemporary pieces are also included in the album. A pioneer of classical guitar in China, Yang herself rearranged many of the scores. The album includes solo, duo, and trio pieces as well as Yang’s collaboration with the Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra led by Fu Renchang.
In addition to some of the aforementioned pieces, the program for the Shenzhen concert will include an excerpt of “Butterfly Lovers,” originally a violin concerto, “A Fisherman’s Song in Twilight,” “Three Variations on the Plum,” as well as beloved Western music pieces like “Arabian Dance,” “Ostropat” (“Romanian Dance”) and a rearranged version of the pop song “Another Day.”
A graduate of Beijing’s Central Conservatory of Music, Yang went on to become the first Chinese musician to receive a full scholarship for postgraduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where upon graduation she received the Principal’s Prize.
An active soloist on the world stage, Yang is praised by Gramophone magazine as “one of the leading innovators” of her generation, because she continues to build the guitar repertoire.
In her hand, the guitar may sound like a pipa, zheng (Chinese plucked board zither) or guqin (a Chinese seven-stringed zither), leaving many marveling at her magic. Drawing her inspirations from the unique sound of Chinese instruments that she doesn’t play, Yang came up with many unprecedented techniques for the guitar.
Time: 8 p.m., Nov. 8
Tickets: 80-380 yuan
Venue: Shenzhen Concert Hall, Futian District (福田区深圳音乐厅)
Metro: Line 3 or 4 to Children’s Palace Station (少年宫站), Exit D