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The Zheng Master - Montreal Gazette
Every once in a while, an artist stands out for their depth, power, versatility, innovation, expression, excellence, and pure musicianship; for the zheng, at this time, that artist is Mei Han.
One of the world’s premier zheng artists, Mei Han is a groundbreaking virtuoso propelling the Chinese zheng into radical new dimensions of musical expression. Presenting music deeply rooted in over two thousand years of Chinese culture, Han is transforming this stately instrument into a powerful tool for the contemporary international concert stage. She is a consummate performer, appearing with leading artists around the world in a multitude of musical genres from symphonic, chamber, and new music; to traditional and world music; and from creative improvisation to electronic.
Han took the most sought-after position in China at the age of eighteen, as a featured soloist at the prestigious Beijing Zhan You Ensemble, due to her extensive private studies with China’s top zheng masters Zhang Yan and Gao Zicheng. After extensive touring with Zhan You, Han went on to become a rare blend of performer and scholar with two Master’s degrees in ethnomusicology, from the Musical Research Institute of the Chinese Arts Academy in Beijing (1995), considered internationally the most prestigious institute for Chinese music studies, and from the University of British Columbia (2000). Han wrote the zheng entry for the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, the premier music reference book, and has published articles in music journals in both English and Chinese. She has lectured on Chinese music at numerous universities and music institutes around the world.
A dynamic performer and innovator, Han has been exploring new directions for solo zheng and unique combinations of zheng with other instruments in a contemporary experimental aesthetic. Works written for, and premiered by, Han include a zheng concerto (by John Sharpley, premiered with the China Philharmonic Orchestra), a composition for zheng and string quartet (by John Oliver, premiered with the Borealis String Quartet), and a work for zheng and harpsichord (by Janet Danielson, premiered with Cynthia Hebert). A commanding virtuoso, Han regularly performs challenging new works by contemporary international composers including compositions by Minoru Miki, Yuji Takahashi, and Barry Truax, among others.
Han’s career spans Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe, and North America. As a soloist, Han has performed with a number of orchestras internationally. Together with composer and multi-instrumentalist Randy Raine-Reusch, Han toured prestigious venues in Australia (WOMAD), the Czech Republic, Germany, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore (WOMAD), and South Africa. With her Chinese string band Red Chamber, she has toured North America, Asia, and the Netherlands with a feature performance at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. An accomplished improviser, she has toured North America and China with the Mei Han Art Ensemble. She has performed at major international music festivals in the world, new music, chamber music, and jazz genres.
Han’s first solo CD, Outside the Wall, of traditional and contemporary works, received critical acclaim, with airplay on CBC (Canada), BBC (Great Britain), and ABC (Australia). Her collaboration with Randy Raine-Reusch on Distant Wind for zheng duet, and Road to Kashgar with the Orchid Ensemble were nominated for Juno Awards (Best Global). Han’s album Ume with piano luminary Paul Plimley creates a rich and original musical language in a contemporary jazz aesthetic.
With passion and vigor, Han’s stunning presentations of contemporary music constantly challenge the conservatism of Chinese music and redefine the zheng as a powerful vehicle of innovation and expression.
Every once in a while, an artist stands out for their depth, power, versatility, innovation, expression, excellence, and pure musicianship; for the zheng, at this time, that artist is Mei Han.
One of the world’s premier zheng artists, Mei Han is a groundbreaking virtuoso propelling the Chinese zheng into radical new dimensions of musical expression. Presenting music deeply rooted in over two thousand years of Chinese culture, Han is transforming this stately instrument into a powerful tool for the contemporary international concert stage. She is a consummate performer, appearing with leading artists around the world in a multitude of musical genres from symphonic, chamber, and new music; to traditional and world music; and from creative improvisation to electronic.
Han took the most sought-after position in China at the age of eighteen, as a featured soloist at the prestigious Beijing Zhan You Ensemble, due to her extensive private studies with China’s top zheng masters Zhang Yan and Gao Zicheng. After extensive touring with Zhan You, Han went on to become a rare blend of performer and scholar with two Master’s degrees in ethnomusicology, from the Musical Research Institute of the Chinese Arts Academy in Beijing (1995), considered internationally the most prestigious institute for Chinese music studies, and from the University of British Columbia (2000). Han wrote the zheng entry for the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, the premier music reference book, and has published articles in music journals in both English and Chinese. She has lectured on Chinese music at numerous universities and music institutes around the world.
A dynamic performer and innovator, Han has been exploring new directions for solo zheng and unique combinations of zheng with other instruments in a contemporary experimental aesthetic. Works written for, and premiered by, Han include a zheng concerto (by John Sharpley, premiered with the China Philharmonic Orchestra), a composition for zheng and string quartet (by John Oliver, premiered with the Borealis String Quartet), and a work for zheng and harpsichord (by Janet Danielson, premiered with Cynthia Hebert). A commanding virtuoso, Han regularly performs challenging new works by contemporary international composers including compositions by Minoru Miki, Yuji Takahashi, and Barry Truax, among others.
Han’s career spans Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe, and North America. As a soloist, Han has performed with a number of orchestras internationally. Together with composer and multi-instrumentalist Randy Raine-Reusch, Han toured prestigious venues in Australia (WOMAD), the Czech Republic, Germany, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore (WOMAD), and South Africa. With her Chinese string band Red Chamber, she has toured North America, Asia, and the Netherlands with a feature performance at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. An accomplished improviser, she has toured North America and China with the Mei Han Art Ensemble. She has performed at major international music festivals in the world, new music, chamber music, and jazz genres.
Han’s first solo CD, Outside the Wall, of traditional and contemporary works, received critical acclaim, with airplay on CBC (Canada), BBC (Great Britain), and ABC (Australia). Her collaboration with Randy Raine-Reusch on Distant Wind for zheng duet, and Road to Kashgar with the Orchid Ensemble were nominated for Juno Awards (Best Global). Han’s album Ume with piano luminary Paul Plimley creates a rich and original musical language in a contemporary jazz aesthetic.
With passion and vigor, Han’s stunning presentations of contemporary music constantly challenge the conservatism of Chinese music and redefine the zheng as a powerful vehicle of innovation and expression.
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