S h e n s h e n Z h a n g – Pipa Virtuoso

With the talented Bridge Chamber Viotuoso, I was honored to be asked to perform “Ning”, a Trio for Violin (Wei He/​SF Conservatory of Music), Cello (Amos Yang/​SF Symphony) and Pipa, composed by Chen Yi, as part of Chamber Music Day at de Young Museum, Oct. 16.2011.

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With Canadian Mike Kostowsyj on amazing 55 strings bandura, I played Pipa, a solo and impro­vis­ing duet live music at Half Moon Bay Wine Bar down Pillar Point harbor at Sep.25, 2011.

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I performed for Dr. GONG Minlu’s special lecture “Christian Culture in the Eyes of Xiangxi Writer Shen Congwen”, presented by Friends of Ricci and the Ricci Institute at the University of San Francisco Center for the Pacific Rim in Santa Clara Church, July 16, 2011.

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Firebird Youth Chinese Orchestra, where I teach, held a concert “Peng Xiuwen 80 Anniversary Memorial Concert” at California Theatre, May 14, 2011. 

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Back to Houston again, on April, 29, at downtown Sam Houston Park, I performed the “Courtside” with Houston Opera House HGOco. The 2011 Houston International Festival (iFest) follows the route of Marco Polo with a focus on China , India and other cultures of the Silk Road.

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World music com­bi­na­tion gig, an acoustic round robin with Mike Kostowsyj on amazing 55 string ukraine bandura solo, Mark Kostrzewa on guitar solo, and my pipa solo, also including pipa+ guitar original com­po­si­tion duet, pipa + Bandura original com­po­si­tion duet, at Harbor village, wine bar, Half Moon Bay. April 17. 2011 .

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With House of Straw again, I played a benefit concert for victims of the Japanese Earthquake & Tsunami. 100% of profits goes to benefit charities helping in the relief effort. Joining for the show were the aston­ish­ingly gifted vocalist Amie Penwell (http://​www​.amiepen​well​.net/), award winning sax­o­phon­ist Hitomi Oba (http://​www​.hitomioba​.com/), and violinist Michelle Maruyama (Symphony Silicon Valley),
A recipient of the Thelonious Monk Institute Jazz Composers Award Jack Perla — piano, as well as longtime col­lab­o­ra­tors and musical mind-​​readers David Arend — bass and Ricky Carter — drums, at ODC Dance Commons, San Francisco, April. 9th. 2011.

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It was my first time joined Jack Perla’s Jazz group “House of Straw” per­for­mance at Piedmont Piano Company, Oakland, CA. March, 11. 2011. Jack Perla — piano, David Arend — bass, Ricky Carter — drums, Thomas Glenn - San Francisco Opera tenor, Jazz Cellist — Sam Bass.

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The first one act chamber opera in the East + West series, Courtside, was composed by Jack Perla with a libretto by Eugenie Chan, as announc­ing the launch of Song of Houston: East + West, a series of new operas that celebrate Houston as a meeting place for Eastern and Western cultures. The Pipa that I play, not only as a symbol of bridge between the two different culture, but also the fifth character in this show. Performance will be on February 5, 2011, Chinese Community Center, Houston. Following week will have a series of school program around Houston area.

Courtside tells the story of three gen­er­a­tions of Chinese Americans who must find ways to reconcile dif­fer­ences in order to live with pride in con­tem­po­rary America, while main­tain­ing tradition.

“Opera That Bridges the Divide” – The Wall Street Journal

“The Yao Ming Opera” – Culturemap, Houston

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From January through May 2011, col­lab­o­rat­ing with Melody of China, will partner with the San Francisco Symphony’s Adventures in Music program (AIM) in giving per­for­mances in San Francisco and bay area schools letting students expe­ri­ence the wonders of Chinese tra­di­tional and Western instruments.

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