Xiaomei Zhu
Guzheng
Xiaomei Zhu, a member of Guzheng Profession Committee of Chinese Musicians Association, started learning guzheng (a traditional Chinese zither) at an early age. After receiving the First Prize at the competition for admission to the Attached Middle School of Wuhan Conservatory of Music in 2005, she continued her studies with Prof. Yan Gao. She was accepted to the Bachelors program from the Wuhan Conservatory of Music as a Third Place winner of the admission competition in 2008.
She was accepted to the Masters program of the same institution as the First Prize winner of the entrance competition. While a student at the Wuhan Conservatory, Xiaomei studied guzheng with renowned performers and educator, such as Prof. Zhongshan Wang from China Conservatory of Music and Prof. Yan Gao and received guidance from Prof. Qing Wu.
Xiaomei’s had received numerous honors and awards, such as the First Prize at the Third Session of Singapore Golden Lion International Guzheng Competition of 2009 and the First Prize at the “Mountain and Water Cup” Guzheng Competition of 2011. She has performed in Singapore, China, Canada, Unite State, and the North America.
She has appeared in a number of Chinese television programs, most notably at the CCTV Chinese Music Channel and Hubei Economic TV Channel. She has performed at variety of musical venues, such as Qintai Grand Theatre, Ten-Year China-France Alliance Anniversary, Milwaukee Theatre, Englert Theatre, IC Open City Program, Iowa United Nations Association and UNICEF Tap Project. As a soloist, she’s appeared with Iowa City Community String Orchestra, performing arrangements of traditional Chinese pieces and an original work.
Her performances have been covered by newspapers and media. She specializes in various genres of traditional Chinese music, including modern compositions for guzheng as well as classical, world, folk and fusion musical genres.
Currently, she is a member of the Orchid Ensemble – an internationally acclaimed chamber group comprised of a guzheng, erhu and percussion.
Xiaomei is also a dedicated teacher and educator. In addition to teaching privately, she has given countless lectures as a guest speaker at Universities, colleges, festivals, libraries, and cultural centers, where she has been introducing guzheng and traditional Chinese music to the Western audiences and students.
NOTABLE PEFORMANCES
2019 - Asian Culture Event, Google, CA
2018 - Orchid Ensemble concert and collaboration with The Carroll University Choir Carroll University, Waukesha, WI
2017/2018 - Orchid Ensemble - As Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra ACE artist with the Milwaukee Symphony’s Arts in Community Education Program, 12 educational and community performances throughout Milwaukee and neigbouring cities, WI, USA
2017 - Orchid Ensemble - Residency at Michigan Technological University Choir collaboration w/ choir director Dr Jared Anderson, McArdle Theatre, Houghton, MI, USA
2017 - Orchid Ensemble - Masterclass with sound designers and composers, McArdle Theatre, USA
2017 - Orchid Ensemble - Lindsey Wilson College, Slider Hall, USA
2017 - Orchid Ensemble - Western Michigan University, Dalton Recital Hall, Michigan, USA
2017 - Orchid Ensemble - Western Michigan University Residency, co-presented by Kamloops Regional Educational Service Agency, Kalamazoo, MI,USA
2017 - Opening ceremony of our High school language contest, Iowa city, IA, USA
Collaboration with Taiji group, Confucius Institute at the University of Iowa, 2016
Lyon College Convocation Lecture, Arkansas, US, 2016
Lyon College, Arkansas, US, 2016
Orchid Ensemble collaboration with Eastfield College Choir and Dance Department, Dallas, Texas, US,2016
Orchid Ensemble Recital, Dallas, Texas, US, 2016
Eastfield College Residency, Dallas, Texas, US, 2016
Texas Technological University, Lubbock, Texas, US, 2016
Maison de Culture – Pointe Claire , Claire, QC, Canada, 2016
Small World Music Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada, 2016
University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada, 2016
Guzheng Performance, Presented by Hiawatha Public Library - Hiawatha, IA, 2016
Collaboration with Taiji group, Confucius Institute at the University of Iowa, 2016
AsianFest - McGrath Amphitheatre, Cedar Rapids, IA, 2016
The Summer of the Arts Festival - downtown Iowa City, IA, 2016
DubuqueFest Fine Arts Festival, Dubuque, IA, 2016
Orchid Ensemble - Collaboration with Bel Canto Chorus, Milwaukee theatre, WI, 2016
Orchid Ensemble - Annual residency as Cultural Partners with the Milwaukee Symphony”s Arts in Community Education Program, Milwaukee, WI, 2016
Project Art presents Xiaomei Zhu in concert - The University of Iowa, Iowa City 2016
(Guest Artist) Soloist in a performance with Iowa Community String Orchestra - The Englert Theatre 2015
UNICEF Tap Project Concert - Iowa United Nations Association 2015
TALK THE TEMPLE (TetraXord) - The Englert Theatre 2015
Celebration of International Women’s Day - Iowa United Nations Association 2015
Improvisation music with TetraXord assemble - IHear IC 2015
Confucius institute of UI Chinese New Year Celebration - Daily Iowan TV, 2015
Invited and Interviewed by IC Open City Opening Concert -Iowa City, published by Iowa city press - citizen, 2014
Mid-Autumn Festival - CCTV Chinese Music Channel, 2012
"Full Moon Lit Gorgeous Flowers" concert - Wuhan Qintai Grand Theatre 2011
China-France Alliance 10th Anniversary Concert - (East Chinese Orchestra) Bianzhong Music Hall of Wuhan Conservatory , 2010
Recording of “Walk into the Art” Chinese New Year Concert with Chinese Orchestra of Wuhan Conservatory of Music - Bianzhong Music Hall of Wuhan conservatory, 2010
“Open the Door to the Art” - Wuhan Qintai Grand Theatre, 2010
“Chui Dong Chui” with Gao Yan - CCTV Chinese Music Channel, 2007
“Rescue River” - Hubei Economic Channel, 2006
朱晓梅， 旅美古筝演奏家。中国音乐家协会古筝专业委员会会员。自幼习筝。2005年以专业第一名的优异成绩考入武汉音乐学院附中，2008年考入武汉音乐学院民乐系，2012年以第一名的优异成绩考入武汉音乐学院研究生部，攻读专业学位硕士研究生。先后师从著名古筝演奏家、教育家高雁教授，中国当代著名古筝演奏家、教育家王中山教授。曾多次录制CCTV音乐频道、湖北电视台经济卫视、Daily Iowan TV的节⽬目。曾应邀出访新加坡、美国、加拿大等国演出。曾出演琴台⼤大剧院、密尔沃基剧院、Englert剧院、 爱荷华慈善机构、IC Open City、UNICEF Tap Project(联合国⼉儿童基⾦金金会) 、中法联盟⼗十周年年、各音乐节、图书馆、⽂化中心、大学、⼩学等⾳音乐会、讲座给予高度赞誉。曾与东方中乐团、温哥华兰韵中乐团等乐团合作。在古筝现代作品演奏技法掌握和乐曲处理方面有出色的表现，在传统乐器演奏上能准确地把握不同流派的风格特点。
艺术实践及获奖情况：
2006年5月受邀于Hubei economic channel湖北电视台经济卫视的节目录制。
2007年6月参加CCTV音乐频道“风华国乐”的节目录制。
2009年1月受邀于第三届新加坡国际“金狮奖”艺术大赛并其交流活动，荣获“金狮最高奖”。
2010年7月受邀于高雁教授参加琴台音乐厅《打开艺术之门》暑假艺术节活动，高山流水——中国民乐金曲名家音乐会的演出。
2010年10月随武汉音乐学院东方中乐团参加“中法联盟十周年”音乐会。
2010年12日参加了武汉音乐学院东方中乐团“走进艺术”新年音乐会的录制，担任编钟演奏。
2011年1月首届“山水杯”古筝青年大赛A组金奖。
2011年9月受邀于高雁教授参加琴台音乐厅“花好月圆”音乐会的演出。
2012年9月受邀参加cctv音乐频道“中秋民族音乐会”的录演。
2014年受邀于IC Open City的采访和室外音乐会被Iowa City Press - Citizen报道。
2015年受邀于爱荷华孔子学院新年晚会被Daily Iowan TV报道。
2015年参加IHear IC的TetraXord assemble即兴演出。
2015年受邀于Iowa United Nations Association演出。
2015年参加TALK THE TEMPLE于The Englert Theatre演出。
2015年受邀于Iowa United Nations Association出演于联合国⼉儿童基⾦金金会。
2015年受邀于Iowa Community String Orchestra在The Englert剧院担任全场音乐会主奏。
2016年受邀于爱荷华大学出演Project Art个人演奏会。
2016年受邀于温哥华兰韵中乐团参与密尔沃基交响乐团的教育项目。
2016年受邀于温哥华兰韵中乐团在密尔沃基剧院出演Bel Canto Chorus的合奏音乐会。
2016年受邀于The Summer of the Arts艺术节出演个人室外演奏会。
2016年受邀于DubuqueFest Fine Arts艺术节出演个人室外演奏会。
2016年受邀于AsianFest在McGrath Amphitheatre出演室外演奏会。
2016年受邀于Hiawatha图书馆出演个人室内演奏会。
2016年受爱荷华孔子学院之邀多次参与太极课程合作项目。
2016年10月受温哥华兰韵中乐团之邀于美国和加拿大巡演。
2017年受爱荷华孔子学院之邀出演高中中文比赛开幕仪式。
2017年4月受温哥华兰韵中乐团之邀于美国巡演。
2017/2018年再次受邀于温哥华兰韵中乐团参与密尔沃基交响乐团的教育项目。
2018年受邀于温哥华兰韵中乐团参与约翰卡罗尔大学专场音乐会。
2019年1月受邀于谷歌公司出演亚洲文化专场。
2019年2月参与硅谷“载歌在谷”新春晚会。