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Writer's pictureDuoyin

Foundation for Chinese Performing Arts Presents: Desert River

with Yazhi Guo, Leo Blanco, and Chi Wei Lo


Sat, November 12, 2022 | 8:00pm NEC: Jordan Hall | 290 Huntington Ave. Boston, MA United States

Desert River Yazhi Guo , suona and guanzi Leo Blanco, pianist and composer Chi Wei Lo , pianist and improviser Yazhi Guo is widely regarded as the world’s premier Suona virtuoso. The “Flexible Core” invented by him in 1993 allows Suona, a folk instrument, to play in large orchestras and greatly broadens the expressive nature of this instrument. In 1998, he performed at the State Banquet welcoming President Clinton’s visit to China. Guo was the 1998 Grand Prize winner of the New York Pro Musicis International Award. In 2007, Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra presented him in large-scale concerts at stadiums and at Hong Kong Cultural Center Concert Hall. Guo was the recipient of the 2013 Hong Kong Artist of the Year Award. He received his Artistic Diploma from Berklee College of Music in 2015.



 


Yazhi Guo

Suona: Yazhi Guo

Co-founder and founding President of the American Academy of World Music, performer, educator,and musical instrument reformer, active on the international stage. He is good at playing suona and a variety of Chinese and Western wind instruments. He is recognized by the industry as one of the best suona performers in the world, and he is committed to integrating Chinese music with world music. Graduated from the Traditional Music Department of the Central Conservatory of Music in1990, and stayed on to teach at the school; in 2000, he became the principal of suona of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra (HKCO); in 2012 he went to the United States to study, and also gave lectures and held lectures at Harvard University, Philadelphia University of the Arts and Berklee College of Music concert. He won the Pro Musicis International Award in New York in 1998 and the Hong Kong Artist of the Year Award in 2013. In 2015, he obtained the Artist Diploma of Berklee College of Music, and He has led the Beklee College of Music Band to visit China and Singapore many times.. He has recorded more than adozen of solo albums, many of which were released globally. The Suona active core developed by him won the second prize of Science and Technology Progress Award of the Ministry of Culture in 1993; he also developed Polyphonic Hulusi and and Guzheng transposition double-slot bridge, which has attracted much attention in the industry. In 2021, Co-founded the American Academy of World Music and the “Two Tune” World Music Ensemble in Henderson House.




Piano: Leo Blanco

The music of pianist and composer Leo Blanco pulses with global rhythmic elements influenced equally by his South American roots and European classical traditions interwoven with improvisatory developments.

In 1997 Blanco became the first Latin American to win to the prestigious Boston Jazz Society Award. The next year, he received the Billboard Grant Award for his commitment, achievement and contribution to society through music. Currently, he is a faculty member at Berklee College of Music. Most recently, Leo was a 2021 recipient of the Mass Cultural Council Award.




Piano: Chi-wei Lo

Pianist, improviser, studied at the Juilliard School of Music in the United States between 2010 and 2016 and obtained a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in piano performance. He studied under the internationally renowned masters Jerome Lowenthal and Professor Chen Hongkuan. In 2017, he was admitted to the New England Conservatory of Music, piano. Impromptu prospective Ph.D. In 2008, he won the gold medal at the A. Ramon Rivera Piano Competition. In 2010, he won a Gold Medal in the Massachusetts Steinway Competition, a Silver Medal in the Williams Chorales Competition, and a Bronze Medal in the Harvard Musical Association Competition.

In recent years, his cooperative bands include the American Longwood Orchestra, the American New Asia Chamber Music Association, the Taiwan Counterpoint Chamber Orchestra, and the North American Medical Orchestra.

In recent years, solo piano tours include "Vincent Unrestrained", "Twelve of Twelve", "Seven Deadly Sins". In 2019, he toured in Shanghai and Guangdong with the impromptu band Pink Noise.



 

Admission to the concert on November 12th requires proof of vaccination or negative test. Tickets are $15 (7-13 years old), $30 and $50. Foundation for Chinese Performing Arts will provide students with free tickets (over 14 years old) and non-student coupons. Advance booking is required. Children under 6 years old are not allowed to enter. Please check official website for details.







Jordan Hall NEC

 













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