Entries now open:
> Changsha International Guitar competition (virtual) - 1st prize US$10,000 + tour
> Gala concert for U18 players. Submit videos, $100 if selected
> Composition competition - 1st prize $3,000 plus publication
My new double album, Sketches of China, is now available It's the result of a long-cherished desire to showcase the breadth and depth of Chinese music on my own chosen instrument - guitar. Enjoy the video - it gives an overview of the album, an insight into how it was made, and contains music from the album too. More details on the recording page.
Mezzo TV are broadcasting the 2019 Bastille Day concert where I performed with the Orchestre National de France conducted by Alain Altinoglu, and also with tenor Roberto Alagna. It took place the Champs de Mars at the foot of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Broadcasts on various dates through July & August
During this lockdown period I am performing a series of lighter repertoire from the natural, relaxing setting of my own back garden. Here's one of the series. Hope you enjoy it !
Now available online - Heartstrings ! A collection of beautiful minatures on guitar.
Listen to the very first recording of John Brunning's Romance No.3. It features on Xuefei's EP "One Day in November."
New video for Guitar Salon International. Eterna Saudade by Dilermando Reis, played on a guitar from 1925 !
Another new video for Guitar Salon International. Xuefei plays Juan Martin's version of Zambra Mora on another guitar from 1925 !
Xuefei is on the cover of the final paper edition of Classical Guitar Magazine. Available now !
"Milonga del Angel" features virtuosic duos for guitar and violin; Xuefei on guitar with winner of the renowned Paganini competition, Mengla Huang, on violin. The recording is available digitally on the usual platforms such as iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify etc. More details on the recordings page.
The 2020 Changsha International Guitar Festival is currently postponed, as are most events globally, due to the corona virus. Revised plans will be announced in due course. Meanwhile, stay safe and healthy !
Xuefei was awarded an Honary Fellowship from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. The award was presented by the Principal of Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Professor Julian Lloyd Webber, after touching speech made by Head of Guitar, Mark Ashford.
Xuefei and Zhang Weiliang (xiao) give the world premier of
Xiang He Ge, composed by Joel Hoffman for the duo.
The concert was filmed in the National Centre for Performing
Arts in Beijing.
A new twenty minute documentary, "Talking about Music -
Xuefei Yang," (in Mandarin) made by China's Wuxi TV.
For non-Mandarin speakers, there are some new live music
clips too :
- 3m52s : Vivaldi RV158 (with iMusici)
- 10m19s : Lamentos do Morro (solo)
- 17m44s : Tango en Skai (with iMusici), worth watching
until the end of the program.
Enjoy !
Xuefei made the list of top 6 classical guitarists in BBC Music Magazine, and is one of three classical guitarists to make the top 50 women guitarists in Guitar Player magazine.
This 30 minute documentary about Xuefei was broadcast on
Chinese National TV earlier this year.
It's in Chinese but has lots of music and many interesting
behind the scenes insights.
Xuefei's latest solo album features the guitar music of Brazil. Winner of HiFi's 2017 Best Instrumental Album.
China TV's (English language) "Icon" program recently dedicated a 30 minute episode to Xuefei.
Xuefei continues her successful collaboration with British tenor Ian Bostridge. Songs from Our Ancestors is the very first release by Globe Music, a new record label from Shakespeare's Globe. The CD received a double five-star review from BBC Music Magazine (Xmas 2016 edition).
Xuefei has arranged three well known Chinese pieces for solo guitar.
Flowing Water, dating from the Ming Dynasty & originally for guqin; and Sword Dance, inspired by a poem from the Tang Dynasty, & originally for liuqin ; Drunken Ecstasy , attributed to the 3rd century scholar Ruan Ji, & originally for guqin
All three pieces feature on the Songs from our Ancestors recording.
Xuefei has a series of four graded repertoire books for children, beginners, intermediate, & advanced players. In addition to the pieces, the books include Xuefei's suggestions for approaching the pieces either from a technical or musical perspective. This video features a section of a piece from the intermediate book. The series is published by Doberman-Yppan.
Julian Bream was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Gramophone Awards in London. In tribute, Ian and Xuefei were invited to perform a selection from Britten's Songs from the Chinese, written for Bream and Peter Pears.
Xuefei received the great honour of being made a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music - a title held by at most 300 people at any one time. Xuefei received her award at a ceremony in London from HRH The Duchess of Gloucester.
