Composer/Arranger/Pianist, Jerry Zhuang - Toronto, Canada

Instrumentalists: China Impression Quartet (Shengist - Pingping Sui; Pipaist - Zhaohong Feng; Zhongruanist - Junmiao Cui; Pipaist - Weiqi Zhang; Voice - Fangna Wang) - Beijing, China

China Impression Quartet -

“Innovative music out of deep roots” -- Music Weekly

China Impression Quartet is not a traditional string, brass or wood Quartet as its name suggests. It is a quartet of 4 Chinese musicians playing 6 different traditional Chinese instruments, namely, Pipa (plucked string instrument, played by Miao Xiaoqin and Feng Chaohong), Zhongruan and Liuqin (plucked string instrument, played by Cui Junmiao), Suona and Sheng (wind instrument, played by Sui Pingping).

The four musicians joined China Broadcasting Chinese Orchestra in the early 1990s, and grew up to be section leaders and then soloists of the orchestra in the coming years. As one of the most prestigious Chinese orchestras in China, CBCO has produced thousands of film, TV, radio music and CDs. In the past decades, CBCO also toured all over China, and over 30 countries, including USA, Canada, Russia, Germany, Italy, Japan, etc. As guest professors of Central Conservatory of Music, China Conservatory and Tsinghua University, the four musicians have taught many talented students. As soloists, the four musicians have also produced many TV music programs and CDs, while touring a dozen of Chinese cities.

In 2008, the four established musicians decided to establish China Impression Quartet. The aim is to be innovative, to be fresh, and to be the Maker of Chinese music. Pipa, Zhongruan, Liuqin, Sheng and Suona were brought together to play on stage, which nobody ever did in the past. No music was ever composed by putting these instruments together. All the repertoire of the Quartet were rearranged or recreated by the four musicians themselves on the basis of traditional Chinese music. The classical Chinese pieces, such as Moonlight on the Spring River, Ambush on All Sides, Love Song of Kangding, thus have been given a new distinctive China Impression style.

China Impression has held many concerts and lectures at major concert halls in Beijing, Shanghai and many other Chinese cities. China Central TV and China National Radio have produced many music programs for the Quartet. In March 2015, China Impression was invited to play for President Xi Jinping as well as President Edgar Lungu of Zambia in a special event. In April 2015, China Impression Quartet was invited to attend Meet In Beijing Arts Festival, and was praised by Max Baucus, the U.S. Ambassador to China, as “unbelievably spectacular”.

While keeping and demonstrating the beauty of traditional Chinese music, China Impression Quartet has created its own unique artistic style, has brought a refreshing touch to the music world, and has thus gained growing recognition both home and abroad.