Wu Fei
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Wu Fei (, born May 12, 1977) is a virtuoso Chinese American composer, performer, and improviser from Beijing, China. She performs on the Chinese
guzheng The zheng (), or guzheng (), is a Chinese List of Chinese musical instruments#Plucked, plucked zither. The modern guzheng commonly has 21, 25, or 26 strings, is long, and is tuned in a Major scale, major pentatonic scale. It has a large, reson ...
, an ancient zither with twenty-one strings, as well as sings. She currently resides in Nashville. Wu Fei has composed for a variety of musical genres, including choir, string quartet, chamber ensemble, Balinese gamelan, orchestral, film, and modern dance.


Life

Born in Beijing, Wu Fei studied at the
China Conservatory of Music The China Conservatory of Music (CCMusic; ) is a municipal music academy in Chaoyang, Beijing, China. The school is affiliated with the City of Beijing, and co-funded by the Beijing Municipal People's Government and the Ministry of Culture an ...
until 2000. She continued her education at
Mills College Mills College at Northeastern University in Oakland, California is part of Northeastern University's global university system. Mills College was founded as the Young Ladies Seminary in 1852 in Benicia, California; it was relocated to Oakland in ...
where she earned a M.A. in Composition (2002–04). Her musical mission has been to extend the sonic experience of the traditional guzheng performance with twenty-first musical improvisational materials, techniques, and performances. As a participant in the downtown New York improvisation scene, she had many opportunities to explore genres with a myriad of like-minded musicians. She has teamed up with
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 ...
, Fred Firth,
Gyan Riley Gyan Riley (born 1977) is an American guitarist and composer. He is a son of minimalist composer Terry Riley. They frequently toured together as a duo between 2016 and 2020. Gyan Riley studied at San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He has release ...
,
Carla Kihlstedt Carla Kihlstedt (born 1971) is an American composer, violinist, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist, originally from Lancaster, Pennsylvania and currently working from a home studio on Cape Cod. She is a founding member of Tin Hat Trio (1997, ...
,
Billy Martin Alfred Manuel "Billy" Martin Jr. (May 16, 1928 – December 25, 1989) was an American Major League Baseball second baseman and manager who, in addition to leading other teams, was five times the manager of the New York Yankees. First known ...
, The Wu-Force, and
Abigail Washburn Abigail Washburn (born November 10, 1977) is an American clawhammer banjo player and singer. She performs and records as a soloist, as well as with the old-time bands Uncle Earl and Sparrow Quartet, experimental group The Wu Force, and as a ...
. Wu Fei has been a part of many notable venues and events. In October 2008, Wu Fei was the curator for The Stone (NYC). In October 2009, a music DVD "Shan Qi" was released (Ozella Music, Germany), filmed in the Italian Alps and highlighting Wu Fei and several outstanding European musicians, including Guo Yue,
Giovanni Amighetti Giovanni Amighetti (born 21 February 1971 in Parma, Italy) is an Italian contemporary musician. He studied classical piano and began playing with avantgarde band Fondamenta and :it:Area (gruppo musicale), AREA drummer Giulio Capiozzo in late ei ...
(also producer), Guido Ponzini, and
Helge Andreas Norbakken Helge Andreas Norbakken (born 1965) is a Norwegian drummer known for his collaborations with Mari Boine, Jon Balke (MNO/Bathagraf/Siwan), Kari Bremnes, Maria João (singer), Maria Joao, Karl Seglem, Becaye Aw, Miki N'Doye, Jovan Pavlovic, and ...
. In March 2011, Wu Fei gave a live performance on guzheng and voice at the
Hermès Hermès International S.A. ( , ) is a French Luxury goods, luxury fashion house established in 1837. It specializes in leather goods, silk goods, lifestyle accessories, home furnishings, perfumery, jewelry, watches and ready-to-wear. Since the ...
fashion show during
Paris fashion week Paris Fashion Week (, commonly ) is a series of designer presentations held semi-annually in Paris, France, with spring/summer and autumn/winter events held each year. Dates are determined by the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode. Pa ...
. For 2018–2019, Wu Fei is Composer-in-Residence for the
Nashville Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...
, Tennessee ensemble, chatterbird. Wu Fei has toured and performed around the world. Highlight of her tours include performance at
Forbidden City Concert Hall Forbidden City Concert Hall () is a 1,419-seat multi-purpose venue in Beijing. The name of the venue came from the fact that it is located within the grounds of the Zhongshan Park (Beijing), Beijing Zhongshan Park, a vast former imperial altar Sh ...
in Beijing,
EXPO 2010 Expo 2010, officially the Expo 2010 Shanghai China, was held on both banks of the Huangpu River in Shanghai, China, from 1 May to 31 October 2010. It was a major World Expo registered by the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), in the ...
in Shanghai,
North Sea Jazz Festival The North Sea Jazz Festival is a festival held annually on the second weekend of July in the Netherlands at the Ahoy venue. The festival moved to Rotterdam in 2006 after the demolition of the Statenhal in The Hague where it was originally held. ...
in the Netherlands,
Vossajazz Vossajazz or Vossa Jazz (established 19 December 1973) is an international jazz festival in Voss, Norway, which takes place annually during the week before Easter, and which also includes concerts throughout the year. The festival has been led by ...
in Norway,
Europalia EUROPALIA (stylized in capital letters since 2025) is a Brussels-based, international biennial arts festival that highlights the cultural heritage and art scene of one invited country. On multiple occasions, the festival has also dedicated edition ...
Festival in Belgium, Madame Guitar Festival in Italy, and the
Big Ears Festival The Big Ears Festival is an annual music festival in Knoxville, Tennessee. The 2009, 2010 and 2014-2019 editions were produced by AC Entertainment. The festival incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in 2016 and has been independent ...
in Tennessee.


Musical collaborations


Fred Frith (1949–)

Fred Frith is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer, and improvisor, who taught Wu Fei at Mills College. Wu Fei appeared on
Fred Frith Jeremy Webster "Fred" Frith (born 17 February 1949) is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer, and improviser. Probably best known for his guitar work, Frith first came to attention as a founding member of the English avant-rock group Henry ...
's albums '' Eye to Ear II''(2004), ''
The Happy End Problem ''The Happy End Problem (Music for Dance Volume 5)'' is a studio album by England, English guitarist, composer and Improvisation, improvisor Fred Frith, and is the fifth of a series of Fred Frith discography#Music for Dance, Music for Dance albu ...
''(2006), and '' Eye to Ear III''(2010), as well as his soundtrack for the
PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...
documentary film ''Thirst''.


Gyan Riley (1977–)

Wu and Riley are both classically trained performers and composers who have also embraced various improvisational styles. They draw from a variety of traditions, including jazz, Indian raga, and Chinese, Spanish, and Western classical music.


Abigail Washburn (1977—)

Wu and Washburn have known each other since 2006. Washburn is a Grammy award-winning singer, songwriter and clawhammer banjo player based in Nashville, TN, whose music often meshes traditional Appalachian and Chinese folk tunes. Washburn's personal studies in Chinese culture and music have made their performances a dynamic multilingual and multi-instrumental experience. Their musical collaboration began with a concert as The Wu-Force at the Yugong Yishan music club in Beijing in late 2011. The Wu-Force includes Wu, Washburn, and Kai Welch on keyboard, trumpet, guitar and loop. Their first album, ''Wu Fei & Abigail Washburn'' (Smithsonian Folkways, 2020), combines American and Chinese folk songs, highlighting music from
Appalachia Appalachia ( ) is a geographic region located in the Appalachian Mountains#Regions, central and southern sections of the Appalachian Mountains in the east of North America. In the north, its boundaries stretch from the western Catskill Mountai ...
and
Xinjiang Xinjiang,; , SASM/GNC romanization, SASM/GNC: Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Sinkiang, officially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), is an Autonomous regions of China, autonomous region of the China, People' ...
, China.


Selected works

*“Hello Gold Mountain” is a work for chamber orchestra that had its world premiere February 23, 2019. Inspired by the European Jewish refugees who fled eastward to Shanghai, and ultimately to San Francisco, Wu applied her professional and personal experience to compose a work for the music ensemble chatterbird, featuring the sonic intersections of the oud and the guzheng, representing the Jewish and Chinese voices, respectively. Wu described her composition as “my attempt to write music that I think could have come out of the fascinating cultural possibilities of the Jewish presence in Shanghai.” Although labeled as somber requiem, the work has been praised as a "multicultural song of life and hope." *"Four Seasons" is a guzheng-banjo duet performed by Wu Fei and Abigail Washburn. It is a part of a program where Wu and Washburn perform a selection of songs based on traditional Appalachian and Chinese music.


Discography

*''A Distant Youth'' – September 2007, Forrest Hill Records (Italy) In Fall 2007, Wu Fei's debut solo record "''A Distant Youth''" was released on Forrest Hill Records. The records also features
Fred Frith Jeremy Webster "Fred" Frith (born 17 February 1949) is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer, and improviser. Probably best known for his guitar work, Frith first came to attention as a founding member of the English avant-rock group Henry ...
(guitar),
Carla Kihlstedt Carla Kihlstedt (born 1971) is an American composer, violinist, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist, originally from Lancaster, Pennsylvania and currently working from a home studio on Cape Cod. She is a founding member of Tin Hat Trio (1997, ...
(violin), and
Helge Andreas Norbakken Helge Andreas Norbakken (born 1965) is a Norwegian drummer known for his collaborations with Mari Boine, Jon Balke (MNO/Bathagraf/Siwan), Kari Bremnes, Maria João (singer), Maria Joao, Karl Seglem, Becaye Aw, Miki N'Doye, Jovan Pavlovic, and ...
(percussion). *''Yuan'' – November 2008,
Tzadik Records Tzadik is a record label in New York City that specializes in avant-garde and experimental music. The label was established by composer and saxophonist John Zorn in 1995. He is the executive producer of all Tzadik releases. Tzadik is a not-for-p ...
(US) In October 2008, Wu Fei released a CD entitled "''YUAN-缘''" produced by
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 ...
for
Tzadik Records Tzadik is a record label in New York City that specializes in avant-garde and experimental music. The label was established by composer and saxophonist John Zorn in 1995. He is the executive producer of all Tzadik releases. Tzadik is a not-for-p ...
of her chamber compositions to be released in fall 2008. One major piece "''She Huo-社火''" featured on this new record was premiered at the ''Forbidden City Concert Hall'' (Beijing) with Percussions Claviers de Lyon in Spring 2007. In 2008, she relocated to New York City. *''Pluck'' – December 2011, Pluck Duo (US) Pluck was a string duo formed by Wu Fei (guzheng / vocals) and
Gyan Riley Gyan Riley (born 1977) is an American guitarist and composer. He is a son of minimalist composer Terry Riley. They frequently toured together as a duo between 2016 and 2020. Gyan Riley studied at San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He has release ...
(guitar) from their summer shows in New York City 2011. Their collaboration were showcased in a series of shows at The Stone, Barbès, and the
Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street (Manhattan), 53rd Street between Fifth Avenue, Fifth and Sixth Avenues. MoMA's collection spans the late 19th century to the present, a ...
.


As guest musician

*
Fred Frith Jeremy Webster "Fred" Frith (born 17 February 1949) is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer, and improviser. Probably best known for his guitar work, Frith first came to attention as a founding member of the English avant-rock group Henry ...
: '' Eye to Ear II'' – 2004,
Tzadik Records Tzadik is a record label in New York City that specializes in avant-garde and experimental music. The label was established by composer and saxophonist John Zorn in 1995. He is the executive producer of all Tzadik releases. Tzadik is a not-for-p ...
(US) *
Fred Frith Jeremy Webster "Fred" Frith (born 17 February 1949) is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer, and improviser. Probably best known for his guitar work, Frith first came to attention as a founding member of the English avant-rock group Henry ...
: ''
The Happy End Problem ''The Happy End Problem (Music for Dance Volume 5)'' is a studio album by England, English guitarist, composer and Improvisation, improvisor Fred Frith, and is the fifth of a series of Fred Frith discography#Music for Dance, Music for Dance albu ...
'' – December 2006 *Various artists: ''Shan Qi'' (DVD) – November 2009, Ozella Music (Germany) *
Fred Frith Jeremy Webster "Fred" Frith (born 17 February 1949) is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer, and improviser. Probably best known for his guitar work, Frith first came to attention as a founding member of the English avant-rock group Henry ...
: '' Eye to Ear III'' – November 2010,
Tzadik Records Tzadik is a record label in New York City that specializes in avant-garde and experimental music. The label was established by composer and saxophonist John Zorn in 1995. He is the executive producer of all Tzadik releases. Tzadik is a not-for-p ...
(US) *
Abigail Washburn Abigail Washburn (born November 10, 1977) is an American clawhammer banjo player and singer. She performs and records as a soloist, as well as with the old-time bands Uncle Earl and Sparrow Quartet, experimental group The Wu Force, and as a ...
: ''City of Refuge'' – January 11, 2011,
Rounder Records Rounder Records is an independent record label founded in 1970 in Somerville, Massachusetts, by Marian Leighton Levy, Ken Irwin, and Bill Nowlin. Focused on American roots music, Rounder's catalogue of more than 3000 titles includes records by A ...
(US) *
Fred Frith Jeremy Webster "Fred" Frith (born 17 February 1949) is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer, and improviser. Probably best known for his guitar work, Frith first came to attention as a founding member of the English avant-rock group Henry ...
: '' Clearing Customs'' – February 2011, Intakt Records (Switzerland), a project under Germany's SWR "New Jazz Meeting"


Selected awards

*Best World Music Artist 2008 – Westword. *“Yuan” Best Album of The Week – Alarm Magazine November 25, 2008 *Composer Fellowship, the Sally & Don Lucas Artist Residency by
Montalvo Arts Center The Montalvo Arts Center is a non-profit center for the arts in Saratoga, California, United States. Open to the public, Montalvo comprises a cultural and arts center, a park, hiking trails and the historic Villa Montalvo, an Italian Mediterran ...
, 2009. *DVD “Shan Qi” nominated for Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik (Award of the German Record Critique), 2009. *Wu Fei with Chatterbird is the winner of Best Genre-Defying Classical Performance by Nashville Scene 2017's Writer's Choice. *MAP Fund Award, “Hello Gold Mountain,” 2018.


References


External links


Official WebsiteWu Fei
at All About Jazz
Hello Gold Mountain Official WebsiteInterview on The World Music Foundation Podcast
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wu, Fei 1977 births Living people American women composers Free improvising musicians Guzheng players Singers from Beijing Tzadik Records artists Mills College alumni China Conservatory of Music alumni 21st-century Chinese women singers Chinese women composers 21st-century American women