Sounds of Dynasties: Living Traditions of China

Join us for a captivating evening with the Pacific Trio, featuring three distinguished masters of traditional Chinese instruments and repertoire—David Liu on zheng (a plucked zither), Celia Liu on pipa (a plucked lute), and Qi-Chao Liu on dizi (a bamboo transverse flute). Together, they bring the rich soundscape of traditional Chinese music to life, blending classical techniques and repertoire with their own unique artistry. From the delicate tones of the zheng to the vibrant melodies of the pipa and the expressive voice of the dizi, the Trio’s performance will provide a glimpse of the beauty and depth of the Chinese musical heritage.

Stay after the concert for a Q&A with the artists and explore their musical journeys, instruments, and inspirations up close.

About the artists:

The Pacific Trio is composed of three Los Angeles-based artists, all among the finest Chinese musicians of their generation living in the United States.

David Chu-Yao Liu (zheng) studied under famous zheng masters and graduated from the Taiwan National Academy of the Arts. He has performed all over the world and in 1989 founded the Zheng Hsin Chinese Zither Orchestra of Los Angeles.

Celia Liu graduated from the Central Conservatory of Music in China and worked at the National Orchestra in Beijing. She won the award for “Most Excellent Performance” at the Art Cup international competition. She was invited to perform with the LA Philharmonic Orchestra and recorded over a hundred soundtracks for movies and TV series with Warner Brothers Nickelodeon “Kung Fu Panda”.

Qi-Chao Liu (dizi), musicologist, educator, and bandleader, is an accomplished performer on a wide variety of Chinese instruments. He graduated from the Shanghai Conservatory of Traditional and Western Music and, in 1997, was invited to attend the Asian Pacific Performance Exchange Fellowship Program through UCLA.

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