JODIE ZHUXI WANG ~ PIPA 王竹夕 ~ 琵琶

 

 

Inspired to learn pipa at age seven after reading an ancient Chinese poem describing the instrument’s elegant and meditative sound, Zhuxi (Jodie) Wang has since toured Germany, France, Holland, Belgium, Austria, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau as a soloist or the principal performer of multiple orchestras. She won numerous awards in both national and international music competitions throughout her early career, and she was accepted into the folk orchestra of China’s most prestigious university, Peking University, as the only pipa player to win the stringent auditions that year against hundreds of participants from across the country. She remained the principal pipaist until her graduation, and her solo, “Story: Inspired by the Tang Dynasty Poem Pipa,” was the only solo piece selected for inclusion on the studio album, Hou Tu, released by the university’s orchestra. Wang has performed at many diplomatic occasions for foreign political leaders, royal family members, and well-known scholars visiting China. Her talent was also showcased on China’s most popular networks (e.g., CCTV, BJTV, etc.) and on various television shows.

 

After moving to the U.S., Wang won the Golden Award at the 2012 Huain Cup International Chinese Music Competition held in California, competing with top-notch musicians from all over the world. Since joining as one of the group’s youngest artists, she has appeared extensively throughout the Houston area as a promising pipa performer with a career spanning solo, chamber and orchestral appearances. Her playing is noted for its inspiring lyricism and emotional expressiveness, described by CultureMap in the following way: “from porcelain-like clarity to passionate displays of darker emotions — anger, sorrow and grief — the pipa was given a voice that transcended its cultural context.” While devoted deeply to her musical career, Wang is also currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology at the University of Houston. Wang is a member of China Nationalities Orchestra Society (CNOS) and serves on the board of the professional association of pipa virtuosos affiliated under CNOS.

 

王竹夕，1987年出生于北京。中国民族管弦乐学会琵琶专业委员会会员。 7岁开始学习琵琶，11岁通过中央音乐学院考级9级（最高级）。自14岁起，先后出访德国、法国、荷兰、比利时、奥地利、日本、香港、台湾和澳门等国家及地区交流巡演。2005年在北京大学全国艺术特长生冬令营中脱颖而出，成为当年几百名考生中唯一被录取进入北京大学民乐团的 琵琶考生。在2005-2009年间，担任北京大学民乐团琵琶声部首席，筹备并演出《东西南北风》《乐映风华》《燕园感怀》等专场民族音乐会；曾受邀录制中央电视台著名国乐栏目《风华国乐》；曾参演数十场大型文艺演出，包括2005年在人民大会堂举行的北京论坛开幕式， 中美关系圆桌会议，北京大学建校110周年庆典晚会，2008奥运场馆落成庆典仪式等；曾多次在重要外事活动中担任演出任务，接待过的外宾及各界精英包括诺贝尔奖得主李政道，泰国公主施琳通，著名企业家李嘉诚，华谊集团总裁王中磊等。2007年，她演奏的琵琶曲《诉-读唐诗琵琶行有感》被收录入北京大学民乐团倾力录制的音乐专辑《后土》，是该专辑中收录的唯一一首个人独奏曲目。

 

王竹夕曾多次在国内及国际音乐比赛中获得大奖，在2012年于美国加州圣荷西举办的首届“华音杯”中国音乐国际大赛中，她与来自世界多国的顶级音乐家们同台竞技，最终获得金奖。她以独奏、重奏、合奏等多种形式参加了美南地区的各类演出活动，包括2011《竹韵弦歌》夏季室内乐民族音乐会，2012新春民族音乐会，合唱《红楼梦》组曲音乐会，《东方印象》文艺晚会，纪念辛亥革命一百周年大型综艺晚会等。王竹夕的音乐风格清雅婉约，玲珑脱俗，尤以情感细腻，富艺术感染力见长。在她舞动的手指下，弹跳出清澈空灵的音符，洋溢着青春的活力又充满古老而美丽的伤感。Houston CultureMap 著名乐评人Joel Luks评论她的音乐时写道：“从像精致瓷器一样的轻灵剔透转变为对情感阴暗面更为热烈的展现 - 愤懑、悲痛、叹息 - 琵琶这件古老的乐器在其文化内涵外，被赋予了更深层次的共鸣”。除了积极投身于音乐事业的发展外，王竹夕同时正就读于休斯顿大学工业组织心理学系攻读博士学位。