Yu Miao

Guzheng Perform Artist，Composer, Sound Designer

Yu Miao began studying music when she was 6 years old. After graduating from the China Conservatory of Music she has emerged as one of China’s most esteemed young guzheng (Chinese zither) virtuosos.

Miss Yu has developed special tuning methods for the guzheng, which overcomes certain limitations in regard to scales and renders more musical possibilities. Yu is not just limited to the Chinese classical canon, as her playing integrates seamlessly with Chinese and western classical music, jazz, electronic music, and rock. By blending eastern and western music, she is now in the vanguard of several of the world’s most exciting contemporary music scenes and one of the most sought-after guzheng players of her generation.

Yu has performed in China’s National Centre for the Performing Arts, at the Beijing International Music Festival, the Shanghai International Music Festival and also performed at the opening concert celebrating The China-France Year of Culture.

Since 2016 she is involved in world music with her band “China Music House”. Their album 《Lost in Cantonese Opera》released on the “China Music House” label, was awarded the Annual World Music Album at the Music Festival 2018 in Guangzhou.

Yu has been involved with many free improvisation music projects. Since 2013 she participates in free dancing, drama, and crossover art projects. Since 2017, she has an ongoing cooperation with Ku&Dancers, a creative improvisational dance company from Taiwan, and performed in their show《That day》in Beijing. Yu was invited by the director of the British Institute, Gareth Reesde, to compose the soundtrack for the classic Chinese silent film 《Written in Dust》. She was also invited by visual artist Wang Meng to perform in the project “Nine Kuai Nine”, which combined sound, visual and new media installations and was put on stage at the International Street Art Festival in Shanghai and the Contemporary Theatre Biennale in Shenzhen in 2018.

In addition to her personal projects, Yu is also a composer and sound designer. She has just released the album《Both》together with visual artist Wang Meng, with whom she also performed as a duo at the Aranya Music Festival 2018. She also collaborates with “L+R” that fuses electronic dance with the traditional sounds of classical Chinese music, which combines modern electronic music with traditional Kun Opera. Yu has performed with L+R at several festivals, e.g. Zhangbei Music Festival, Maritime Silk Road Music Festival and Guazhou Music Festival.

Know more here: Click Me!