Chinese Music Ensemble: Folk Dialects

The Duke Chinese Ensemble, conducted by Jennifer Chang, will present a concert that features a variety of Chinese musical genres, including classical, folk, and orchestral pieces, played on a mix of Eastern and Western instruments.

For this concert, the Chinese Ensemble is honored to have guest artists Lisa Li, a traditional Chinese Pingtan performer, and Yuan Ni, an erhu soloist.

Lisa Li is a professional Pingtan opera performer from Suzhou, China.

Qi took an interest in performance art from a young age and was awarded the Suzhou TV program's "Outstanding Singer Award" during elementary school.

Subsequently, she attended the renowned Pingtan School in Suzhou. After graduation, she was admitted to the Suzhou Pingtan Troupe, performed all over the country, and participated in large-scale CCTV festival performances many times.

Pingtan is a unique performing tradition that originated over 400 years ago in Southeastern China and involves stringed instruments, singing, and humorous storytelling as a duet.

Yuan Ni, an accomplished Erhu soloist, has been dedicated to her musician's life since birth. She earned a BA in Erhu Performance from Wuhan Conservatory of Music. After graduating, Yuan continued to pursue an advanced musical education in the United States. In 2021, she received her MA in Ethnomusicology from Kent State University. Yuan has extensive experience performing with Chinese instrumental orchestras and has performed solo in numerous concerts in China and the US.