Min Xiao-Fen () is a Chinese and American

pipa The pipa, pípá, or p'i-p'a () is a traditional Chinese musical instrument belonging to the plucked category of instruments. Sometimes called the "Chinese lute", the instrument has a pear-shaped wooden body with a varying number of frets rangi ...

player, vocalist, and composer known for her work in traditional Chinese music,

contemporary classical music Contemporary classical music is Western art music composed close to the present day. At the beginning of the 21st-century classical music, 21st century, it commonly referred to the post-1945 Modernism (music), post-tonal music after the death of ...

, and jazz.

Life

Min Xiao-Fen studied with her father, Min Jiqian (闵季骞), a music professor at

Nanjing University Nanjing University (NJU) is a public university in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. It is affiliated and sponsored by the Ministry of Education. The university is part of Project 211, Project 985, and the Double First-Class Construction. The univers ...

and a student of the

erhu The (; ) is a Chinese two-stringed bowed musical instrument, more specifically a spike fiddle, that is sometimes known in the Western world as the ''Chinese violin'' or a ''Chinese two-stringed fiddle''. It is used as a solo instrument as ...

master

Liu Tianhua Liu Tianhua (; 1895–1932) was a Chinese musician and composer best known for his innovative work for the ''erhu''. Liu's students, such as Jiang Fengzhi and Chen Zhenduo, continued to contribute to the development of the ''erhu''. He was the ...

. Her eldest sister,

Min Huifen Min Huifen (; 1945 – 12 May 2014) was a performer of the erhu, a traditional Chinese bowed string instrument, and a composer. She was considered the undisputed master of the instrument, nicknamed the "Queen of Erhu". She composed some of her o ...

, was nicknamed the "Queen of Erhu." Her brother, Min Lekang (闵乐康), is a national first-class conductor and music professor. Min performed as a pipa soloist for the Nanjing National Music Orchestra from 1980 to 1992. She emigrated to the United States in 1992, first settling in San Francisco, California.Michael Heffley
"Interview with Min Xiao-Fen"
(2009) She has worked with numerous contemporary composers, including Chen Yi,

Zhou Long Zhou Long (; born July 8, 1953) is a Chinese American composer. He won the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Music. Biography Zhou Long was born in Beijing, China. Born into an artistic family, he began studying piano from an early age. Due to the artist ...

Carl Stone Carl Stone (born Carl Joseph Stone, February 10, 1953) is an American composer, primarily working in the field of live electronic music. His works have been performed in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, Australia, South America, and the ...

, Anthony De Ritis,

Marc Battier Marc Battier (born 21 December 1947) is a French composer and musicologist. Battier was born in Brive-la-Gaillarde, France. He is known as a co-founder with Leigh Landy and Daniel Teruggi of the Electroacoustic Music Studies Network, which establ ...

, and

John Zorn John Zorn (born September 2, 1953) is an American composer, conducting, conductor, saxophonist, arrangement, arranger and record producer, producer who "deliberately resists category". His Avant-garde music, avant-garde and experimental music, ex ...

. She has worked with the jazz saxophonist

Jane Ira Bloom Jane Ira Bloom (born January 12, 1955) is an American jazz soprano saxophonist and composer. Early years Bloom was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to Joel and Evelyn Bloom. She began as a pianist and drummer, later switching to the alto saxophon ...

and in 2021 with Jazz guitarist Rez Abbasi on her album White Lotus. Min worked with

Björk Björk Guðmundsdóttir ( , ; born 21 November 1965), known mononymously as Björk, is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, composer, record producer, and actress. Noted for her distinct voice, three-octave vocal range, and eccentric public per ...

on the song "I See Who You Are" on Björk's album '' Volta'', released on May 7, 2007. Min lives in New York. Horowitz, Joseph
"The Musical Odyssey of Min Xiao-Fen"
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', March 3, 2005. Accessed June 18, 2009. "Ms. Min moved to New York in 1996. (She now lives in Forest Hills.)" She is also a founder of Blue Pipa, Inc.

Discography

*''Mao, Monk and Me'' (2017, Blue Pipa) *''Dim Sum'' (2012, Blue Pipa) *'' The Art of Improvisation'' (2005, Mutable Music) with Leroy Jenkins's Driftwood *''Min Xiao-Fen with Six Composers'' (1998, Avant) *''Viper – Derek Bailey and Min Xiao-Fen'' (1998, Avant) *''Spring, River, Flower, Moon, Night'' (1997, Asphodel) *''The Moon Rising'' (1996, Cala) *''Socket'' (Amulet)

References

External links

* *
Min Xiao-Fen interview
from ''Global Rhythm'' magazine, August 2008.
Min Xiao-Fen radio program
{{DEFAULTSORT:Min, Xiaofen Living people 21st-century classical composers American women singers Chinese women singers People from Forest Hills, Queens Pipa players Singers from New York (state) Chinese classical composers Chinese women classical composers Place of birth missing (living people) Year of birth missing (living people)