Concerts of Chao Tian at Strathmore Mansion

With the annual cherry blossom closing in soon, the mansion at Strathmore will embrace Master Chinese dulcimer musician Chao Tian’s April concert season.

As more and more well-known Chinese musician broke through barriers of culture and language and entered world stages, traditional Chinese music is gradually being accepted and well received globally. The fusion between Chinese music and music from other parts of the world created endless possibilities. In 2017, Chao Tian has emerged from musicians around DC, Maryland, and Virginia regions and joined the Artist in Resident program at Strathmore Music Center and became the first Chinese musician to enter the AIR program. With the support of the AIR program, she collaborated with numerous artists such as multiple Grammy Awards winner Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer, Jazz musician and social activist Daryl Davis, Master of Jewish musician Seth Kibel and Grammy Award nominee Christyle Bacon. Her musical talent and ability to improvise on-the-go had abled her to fuse Chinese traditional music and elements of eastern music with western music genres including Jazz, American folk music and even with Hip-Hop. Audiences that went to her performance were all wowed.

The April 11th concert of Chao Tian at Strathmore mansion was delicately arranged by Chao to present to the audience a “neo-impression” of Chinese traditional music through fusion and dialogue. Her instrument, the Chinese dulcimer, which originated in Europe and was adopted by Chinese, is truly mesmerizing and versatile. She also invited percussionist Tom Teasley to join her concert and experimenting with improvisation in world music. To help her audience and people with interest in learning about her “neo-Chinese impression”, “Discovery of Chinese dulcimer and Chinese traditional music”, she will hold a workshop on April 18th at Strathmore.

Chao’s unique background and experience after her moved to the US and as a traditional Chinese musician let to the creation of “the Art of Fusion” concert on April 25th. She will be collaborating with American hammered dulcimer musician Karen Ashbrook presenting “NiChang” which will showcase a rare duo between Chinese dulcimer and American dulcimer. In the music piece “YangGuanSanDie”, an ancient Chinese music, she will be collaborating with steel drum musician Josanne Francis. Also, she will be experimenting fusion between New Orleans Jazz, Boogie Woogie, and American folk music to create a mesmerizing treat and one of the highlight for the audience. Chao will also present the world premiere of her commissioned piece “No. 5301” during the 25th concert. This music piece is created from the distillation of her journey and experience since her relocation and joining the AIR program, which she described as “using story-telling melodies and impressionist expression to share with listener of my own experience and inner thoughts”.

As a Chinese traditional musician and an inheritor that lives in the USA, she felt she has a duty to let more people in the USA have a more round and systematic understanding of Chinese traditional music and its beauty. She hopes that everyone who attends this workshop can have a glimpse of the vastly rich Chinese culture and philosophy through learning about the Chinese dulcimer and Chinese traditional music, and she also wishes to ignite belongingness and proudness of their heritage and culture among Chinese immigrants and Chinese descendants.

For concert ticket and workshop information, please visit:

https://www.strathmore.org/events-and-tickets/air-chao-tian

https://www.strathmore.org/events-and-tickets/air-workshop-chao-tian

Interview by ACM Media：

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvAxgR6lbRo&t=984s

CHAO TIAN

A leading performer on the Chinese dulcimer, board member of Beijing Association of China Traditional Music, and leader of “Always Folk” ensemble, a member of 12 Girls Band, Chao Tian has established a career as a soloist, educator, advocate, and composer in both traditional Chinese music and other genres. As a lecturer at Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU) and a former member of the world renowned Twelve Girls Band, she worked many years in the discipline of musical and cultural exchange. She is currently a member of the prestigious Artist in Residence program (AIR) at Strathmore Music Center.

Her musical journey began at the age of 5 and at age 12 she gained entrance to the affiliated middle school of China Conservatory with a major in dulcimer and a minor in piano. Later she was recommended for immediate admission to China Conservatory, where she obtained the master degree of arts in musical performance in 2010 as well as minors in piano and percussion. She had the experience studying Cimbalom with Hungarian virtuoso musician Victoria Herencsar, which broaden her understanding of western classical and religious music.

As an ambassador of art and culture, she had performed in over 30 different countries and regions across the globe, of many she also organized. Over the years, with identities as a university instructor, arts administrator, and professional musician, has paid her many opportunities, likewise made her pondering the relationship between music and artistic exchange. From 2017, she has collaborated with numerous acclaimed musicians from the DMV area. (DC, Maryland, and Virginia) performed in many concert series and events organized by Strathmore Music Center such as the Osher Concert, Fresh AIR Concert, and Strathmore AIR Concert series. She has contributed to local Chinese community’s cultural awareness and she was invited to perform at Chinese New Year Festival Gala 2018.

As a Chinese musician, she dedicated to the inheritance and promotion of Chinese traditional and ethnic music and she concentrates on the preservation and development of Chinese traditional music. In 2008, she led other 13 exceptional Chinese musicians and formed the “Always Folk Ensemble, dedicated to the heritage and development of traditional Chinese music, and was well received by music critics and peers and dubbed the “most vibrant young music group in recent years”. To this day, under her leadership, “Always Folk Ensemble” still frequently performs throughout China and is getting more popularity than ever before.

Meanwhile, she is intrigued by various cultures and music from other parts of the world, which have given her more challenges and ideas. Her music reflects her role as a leader of younger generation Chinese musicians, and her understanding of traditional and contemporary music, from the east to the west. The instrument played by Chao Tian, has a unique cultural background with a special purpose. It is of foreign origin and yet it became an undisputed component of Chinese music. She strives to not only affectionate her listeners, she also wants them to be able to understand the deeper message her instrument is sent, a performance with a lasting meaning and impact. She wishes to let the world hear the sound from the East in her unique way.