Shanghai Erhu Virtuoso Xiaohui Ma
On June 18 China’s premier Erhu virtuoso Xiaohui Ma returns to New York City for her debut at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. Well known for her Erhu duet with cellist Yo-Yo Ma in the Oscar-winning Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, composed by Tan Dun, Miss Ma is one of the few traditional Chinese artists performing to international acclaim. A cultural ambassador for the 2010 Shanghai World Expo and envoy for the World Special Olympics, the Magic Lady of Erhu uniquely connects with global audiences.
The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts declared her 1999 Millennium Stage engagement as one of the year’s top ten performances.
The recital will feature Miss Ma’s Chinese traditional repertoire and her own compositions, as well as western classical, jazz and tango pieces. Her melodic Birds Singing in the Mountains by Liu Tian Hua brings songbirds to life with Erhu magic. Interpreting J.S. Bach’s Air for the G String, Switzerland’s St. Galler Nachrichten said: “… his famous Air … came to bear with astonishing purity and grand legato.” Other selections will include her own composition Spirit of My Erhu, the theme song Jasmine Flower for the 2008 China Olympics, as well as pieces by Bartók, Kreisler, Duke Ellington, and Yang Liqing. Miss Ma will also feature noted cellist Alexander Scheirle, artistic director for Colorado’s Crested Butte Music Festival. Together they will reprise Tan Dun’s duet from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Noted DC pianist Burnett Thompson will also perform with Miss Ma.
A portion of proceeds will aid victims of the recent Chinese earthquake. Miss Ma’s family lives in hard-hit Chengdu. She herself experienced the devastating 1976 Tangshan earthquake. Xiaohui Ma will premiere “Adiós Nonino” (by Carlos Colón) to express her feelings of sympathy for the tragedy experienced by the earthquake victims.
For more information visit www.carnegiehall.org