Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble
Chinese Instrumental Music Society
Gui Lian Liu
Vancouver Chinese Musice Ensemble
Pipa - Chinese Lute
Born in Shanghai, Gui Lian graduated from and also stayed as a teacher in the Central Conservatory of Music, which is regarded the best music school in China. Gui Lian Liu was the youngest professor of music in China. She has performed on international stages.
Her biography is listed in “Who’s Who of the World”, “Chinese Famous Contemporary Writers and Artists”, and “Chinese Famous Musicians”.
She also comes highly recommended by a number of local and international maestros.
A former principal performer of the Chinese Orchestra of the Central Conservatory of Music, she was also a director of Shanghai Pipa Society, and a member of the Chinese Musicians’ Association and Chinese National Orchestral Society.
劉桂蓮 – 琵琶
原籍上海。北京中央音樂學院、上海師範大學教授，琵琶演奏家。曾任中央音樂學院民族管弦樂團獨奏家兼彈撥樂首席，國家一級演員；上海師範大學藝術學院學術委員，器樂教研室主任，碩士研究生導師。中國音樂家協會會員、上海市琵琶學會理事。1995年被中國教育部遴選為『跨世紀拔尖人才』；1991年榮獲中國文化部授予『（國際級）優秀演員』殊譽。劉桂蓮灌錄唱片、磁帶、影碟多種；創作琵琶獨奏曲《曲院風荷》、《菡菖隨想曲》等多首；出訪歐洲及東南亞多個國家和地區，海內外報刊雜誌均有好評。吳祖強、劉德海、林石城、卡拉揚、及小澤征爾等音樂界權威人士盛讚劉桂蓮是『中、青年琵琶演奏家中的佼佼者』。劉桂蓮傳略被輯入由北京大學編輯出版的《中國當代文藝名人辭典》（1994年）、由香港中國國際交流中心編輯出版的《世界名人錄》（1997年）和由英國劍橋國際名人傳記中心編輯出版的《二十世紀傑出人物》（1999年）等數部辭典。
Ji Rong Huang
Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble
Erhu - Chinese Violin
Ji Rong graduated from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music with a B.A. in performance. Since arriving in Vancouver in 1988, Ji Rong has performed for the Canadian Governor General Concert as an erhu soloist and showcased his talent across Canada and the U.S., including appearances on TV and CBC radio programs.
As a master of Chinese bowstring instruments,
he has collaborated with many multicultural instruments and is highly involved in the
interdisciplinary arts in Vancouver. He is a founder of the Canadian Chinese Music Society and the artistic director of Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble. He has dedicated his music career to bridging western classical and contemporary music into Chinese instruments.
His efforts have received praise
and acclaim from many Asian and Northern American audiences.
Zhi Min Yu
Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble
Ruan - Chinese Guitar
Zhi Min Yu started her studies on the ruan and pipa at an early age. In 1976, she joined the China Broadcast Performing Arts Troupe and became very active in Beijing. Zhi Min appeared in the Asian Arts Festival in Hong Kong in 1981, and in 1985 toured Japan as a founding member of the Chinese Folklore Troupe, earning her recognition as an ambassador of Chinese folk arts to Japan.
Since immigrating to Canada in 1989, she has performed at various events throughout North America and has toured internationally. She has performed in many festivals and participated in recordings for CBC, BBC, and TV.
Her recording of "Endless and Village Tales" won West Coast Music Awards, and Endless and Nine Fold Heart were nominationed for a Juno.
Charlie Lui
Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble
Dizi - Bamboo Flute
Charlie Lui 呂畇初 Grew up in a musical family, He studied the cello under his father Ki Ling Lui (呂其嶺) In 1995, his interest in Chinese music took over, and the dizi became his primary focus. Charlie moved to Vancouver with his family and trained intensively with Mr. Jian Min Pan (潘建明). In 2000, he traveled to China to study with dizi virtuoso Mr. Wei-Yu Tan (譚謂裕), professor of Shanghai Conservatory of Music.
Charlie has mastered a wide range of Chinese wind instruments, including modified chi-ba, xiao, xun, koudi, paixiao, bawu, and hulusi.
As a soloist, Charlie has performed numerous dizi concerti and has performed on a number of CDs. He performed with prominent groups including the Nu: BC, BC Chinese Music Ensemble, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Ding Yi Music Company (Singapore), Melody of China (San Francisco).
Sarah Tan
Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble
Guzheng- Chinese Zither
Sarah was born in China. She began studying the guzheng at the age of 10 and enrolled later in Xinghai Conservatory of Music learning from different zheng teachers such as Professor Wang Wei. She completed her Bachelor Degree in 2008 specializing in guzheng. As a student, Sarah obtained numerous prizes in different major competitions, and played as a guest performer in many renowned Chinese symphonies. In 2004, she was employed by the Shanghai Conservatory of Music Art Center, and awarded the best guzheng instructor for five consecutive years. After immigrating to Vancouver in 2008, Sarah was invited by BC Chinese Orchestra as a GuZheng guest soloist.
Bruce Henzcel
Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble
Percussion
Bruce Henczel began his musical studies at age three. A multi-instrumentalist, he graduated from Capilano College at the top of his class musically, and academically. He received his Master of Music in percussion performance from the University of British Columbia, where he won many awards, notably, the Concerto Competition.
He is an active chamber musician and composer. He currently has two solo cds, and is working on a world music Mass. His print music is published internationally by Honeyrock Publishing, Inc., in Pennsylvania. His diverse musical interests allow him to facilitate drum circles and workshops utilizing rhythms from around the world.
Zhong Xi Wu
Suona + Sheng - Chinese Oboe + Reed Organ
Zhongxi Wu is the 4th generation of suona players in his family and has added to their many accolades. He is an honorary director of the Chinese Wind Instrument Society in China, and has played suona for several notable music groups including: the B.C. Chinese Orchestra, the Vancouver Intercultural Orchestra, Vancouver Chinese Ensemble, Golden Pearl Ensemble.
As a master piper, he has also performed in the Delta Police Pipe Band, which played with Paul McCartney two years in a row in Vancouver.
Recently Zhongxi recorded with the Vancouver Intercultural Orchestra (VICO) (Album "In the Key of the World”, 2020), as well as with the Jodi Proznick Trio (Album “Jasmine Jazz”).
He not only performs but shares his joy of Chinese instrumental music by teaching with the UBC Music department, the Canada Y.C Music Academy, and the VSO School of Music.
吳忠喜 – 嗩吶、笙
吴忠喜 吴⽒唢呐 ⾮遗第四代传⼈ 8岁随⽗亲 学习唢呐 毕业于⿊⻰江职业艺术学院 曾⼯作于⻰江剧院 评 剧院 省歌舞团，赴⾹港 ⽇本 纽约 英国 荷兰 瑞⼠ 德国 演出 2000年移⺠温哥华 加⼊温哥华中华乐团，BC 省中乐团 ，丝绸之路中乐团，VICO多元化乐团。UBC⼤学，温哥华交响乐团⾳乐学院导师，三⻆洲警察⻛ 笛队 ⾸位华⼈⻛笛⾸
Jessica Huang
Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble
Piano
Jessica Huang, certified teacher of RCM, is a member of the BC Registered Music
Teachers Association and teaches at the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra school of music. She was recognized with an “Outstanding Teacher Medal” presented by the Vancouver international music competition for both 2017 and 2021.
Jessica graduated from Shanghai Conservatory of Music in 2006 with a bachelors degree in piano, and a master degree in Zheng performance in 2011.
She was a member of the Shanghai Chinese
Orchestra, Shanghai Zhongfuhui Orchestra, and Minhang Junior Orchestra in China. After moving to Canada, she has performed with the BC Chinese Orchestra, Vancouver Chinese
Music Ensemble and 21stringsplus.
黃思佳
RCM认证教师，BCRMTA协会会员，VSO school of music 教师。毕业于上海音乐学院；钢琴学士学位、民族管弦樂古箏教學碩士學位，在校期間曾與上海民族樂團、上海市中福會民樂團，閔行區少兒民樂團等多次合作，參加各類大型演出。2005年獲得東方之星比賽古箏組銀獎。同年帶領學生參與東方推新人樂器大賽，以《茉莉芬芳》一曲獲得了民樂合奏組金獎，並獲得了優秀指導教師。2012年移居溫哥華後，致力于钢琴及古筝教学，并先后與庇詩中樂團、溫哥華中華樂團、温哥华汉乐团，温哥华青年爱乐交响乐团，21stringsplus、Delta Police Pipe Band等多個音樂團體合作。2017获得了Vancouver international music competition 优秀指导师，2021年获得Canada Joy Of Music International Invitation Piano Competition优秀指导教师。
Qing Chang
Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble
sanxian & liuqin - Chinese banjo & mandolin
Chinese lutist performer and teacher, Qing Chang began playing the Pipa at the age of seven and then studied in the Secondary Annex of Tianjin Conservatory. In 1992, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. During these ten years of learning, she mastered various plucked Chinese instruments, such as Sanxian, Ruan and Guzheng.
From 1993 to 1995, she performed in the China Broadcast Folk Orchestra and the Central Assembly of Song and Dance Troupe. She won awards for outstanding showmanship in international competition.
Qing immigrated to Canada in 1997, and quickly became a well-known Chinese instrumentalist in Vancouver. She has since been involved in concerts, at music festivals, on CBC Radio programs. She also spends her time teaching Pipa and Guzheng at the University of British Columbia with the Vancouver School Board.
She established the Evelyn Music Teaching Studio in Vancouver and is now a member of the Canadian Chinese Music Society.
Ling Yang
Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble
Pipa - Chinese guitar
Pipa virtuoso Ling Yang received training from Kan Jin-Tian and Fan Jin-Long, and started her musical journey at the age of seven.
She entered the Xin Hai Conservatory of Music in 1988, graduating with distinction in 1992.
Since that time she has concentrated her attention on performance and teaching.
Wei Li
Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble
Guzheng - Chinese zither
Nominated for the 2009 Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist Performer, Wei Li is one of the most respected guzheng maestros in China today.
Li is specially acclaimed for his artistry in traditional Ling Nan style, and is considered to represent the pinnacle of this style’s zheng artistry. Li has enjoyed a very successful career. A
fter winning the first prize in guzheng solo 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.