Xiaohui Ma
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Xiaohui Ma is soloist on the Erhu and is one of China’s premiere musical artists. A graduate of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, she has won numerous competitions and awards including First Prize for the National Guangdong Music Competition (Gaohu Section) in 1987, the Baosteel Classic Arts Award in 1994 and 1999, and the First Prize for the 1st Shanghai Spring International Music Festival in 2001. Her concert at the Kennedy Center in 1999 was named one of the Center’s Ten Best Concerts of the Year. Before beginning her solo career, she was concert master of the Shanghai Traditional Orchestra.
Xiaohui performed the erhu solos in the soundtrack of the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon that won the Oscar for Best Original Music. Appearances in 2006 have included performances at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, the EtnoKult Festival in Finland, the United Nations in New York, and Bad Kissingen in Germany.
Her world premieres include “Wailing Waters , ”Chant & Allegro, ”Maiden Lan Hua-Hua,”Genghis Khan,”The Shepherd Girl, ”Hard to Say Good-Bye, ”Night Color in the Desert” and “Deep at Night.”. She also composed “The Spirit of My Erhu” and “The Story of Two Strings,” and made a great number of adaptations of Western and Chinese classical compositions, such as Bartok’s ”Romanian Folk Dances,” Bach’s Inventions and Sonatas, Kreisler’s ”Liebesleid” and Ping Tan Opera “Call Mother in the Convent.”
She is a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and of the United Nations Oriental Art Center. She serves as Adviser of the Hong Kong Youth Music Association, the Ning Bo Folk Music Orchestra, is Guest Professor at Southwest Jiaotong University (Chengdu) and envoy to of the Special Olympics.
As a soloist, Xiaohui Ma has collaborated with orchestras in more than a hundred concerts, including the Berlin Chamber Orchestra and Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra of France, Opera Orchestra of Florence in Italy, St. Gallen Symphony Orchestra in Switzerland, Stavenger Symphony Orchestra in Norway, the Greek Symphony Orchestra, American Chamber Ensemble, Yokohama Symphony Orchestra and NHK Symphony Orchestra in Japan, National Symphony Orchestra in Mexico, Hong Kong Traditional Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Taipei Traditional Orchestra, Macao Traditional Orchestra, Singapore National Symphony Orchestra, Korean Traditional Ensemble, and National Symphony Orchestra in China. She has made over 40 CDs.
Her virtuosity blends classical beauty and contemporary originality by integrating different cultural schools. Her innovative work with the instrument has brought about unique skills and sounds. These are evidenced in her own compositions and in her performance of new works by Chinese composers as well as the mainstays of European repertoire. Ma XiaoHui has advanced and enriched the complex potential of the erhu.
Xiaohui Ma has lectured at the Notre Dame University, Northwestern University, University of Michigan, Tanwai University, Fudan University, Jiaotong University and Tongji University. She has performed for major events, including APEC in Shanghai (1999), Shanghai’s bid for 2008 World Expo (2003) and Bravo China (2002). Her globetrotting appearances in international art festivals have won her a large following worldwide. Recent performances included appearances at Castleton Theater and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts with pianist Burnett Thompson.
