Chinese Label Arc

Zhou Yu is one of the foremost performers of the traditional Chinese instrument, the erhu. Here with his ensemble, he showcases his talents with beautiful traditional Chinese music.; Other traditional Chinese instruments accompany the erhu, including the yang qin (dulcimer), xiao , pipa (lute), guzheng (zither), ruan (lute), and sheng (mouth-blown organ).; Included in this release is an extensive booklet with an artist biography, information about the erhu, and details about each of the songs.

A beautiful album of Chinese music in a great variety of different moods from gentle and meditative pieces played on single instruments to exhilarating New Years music performed by ensembles.

A beautiful album of Chinese music in a great variety of different moods from gentle and meditative pieces played on single instruments to exhilarating New Years music performed by ensembles.

Cheng Yu is an internationally renowned pipa and qin virtuoso, and former soloist at the China Central Orchestra of Chinese Music in Beijing. She attained BMus. (Xi’an Conservatory of Music, China), MMus and PhD (SOAS, University of London) degrees in pipa and qin performance and in ethnomusicology. She is the founder of the UK Chinese Music Ensemble (1996), the London Youlan Qin Society (2003) and the Silk String Quartet (2006). Born in Beijing, Cheng Yu studied the Pudong (South China) style of pipa from the age of seven and was later trained in the Pinghu (North-western) style. She also studied the guqin at the Xi’an Conservatory of Music and graduated with distinction in 1987.

Ms. Miao Xiaoyun, virtuoso of Chinese lutes Ms. Miao Xiaoyun is a musician of outstanding virtuosity and versatility. She plays several types of Chinese lutes, including tenor ruan, bass ruan (2 round-bodied lutes) and pipa (a pear-shaped lute). Born in Beijing, Ms. Miao started to learn various plucked instruments at an early age with renowned teachers in China, among them Wang Fandi (pipa), Wang Zhongbing (ruan) and Pan Yuzhang (ruan). In 1978 she won a competition for the entrance examination to the ‘Central Conservatoire of Music’ in Beijing. Upon graduation with a BA degree in 1982, she became the first teacher in the China Conservatoire of Music to establish the ruan as a major instrument (both conservatoires are the most prestigious in China).

A beautiful album of Chinese music in a great variety of different moods from gentle and meditative pieces played on single instruments to exhilarating New Years music performed by ensembles.

The Heart of the Dragon Ensemble presents beautiful and tranquil traditional pieces and new compositions played on erhu (fiddle), pipa (lute), dizi (flute), xiao (flute), sheng (mouth-blown 'organ'), guzheng (harp) and yang-qin (dulcimer).

The Heart of the Dragon Ensemble presents beautiful and tranquil traditional pieces and new compositions played on erhu (fiddle), pipa (lute), dizi (flute), xiao (flute), sheng (mouth-blown 'organ'), guzheng (harp) and yang-qin (dulcimer).

The Heart of the Dragon Ensemble presents beautiful and tranquil traditional pieces and new compositions played on erhu (fiddle), pipa (lute), dizi (flute), xiao (flute), sheng (mouth-blown 'organ'), guzheng (harp) and yang-qin (dulcimer).