Yu Hongmei

Erhuist Yu Hongmei is currently professor of Erhu at China's Central Conservatory of Music and artist in residence with the Central National Orchestra and visiting scholar at the University of Calgary, Canada. Yu Hongmei won the Pro Musicis International Award in New York in 2001. Her solo album Yu Hongmei’s Solo Erhu Concerto Album was awarded the Fourth Golden Disc of China. Her solo album The Enchanting Erhu Melody won an Indie Award for Best Traditional World Music in 1999 - the first Chinese musician to win this coveted award in its 30-year history. Her solo album Hongmei Capriccio won the First Prize of the First National Audio-Visual Products Awards. In 2002, she successfully performed her American debut recital at Carnegie Hall in New York, another first for a Chinese artist. Yu Hongmei has performed over 100 solo recitals world wide. She was the first instrumentalist who played such well-known pieces as Eight Pieces, Dream of Old Beijing and the Ballade of Xikou. In 2005, she was officially honored with the 10th Excellent Young Teacher Award by the Henry Fok Ying-Tung Education Foundation. Yu Hongmei's students have also received major awards in performance competitions in China and abroad. Yu Hongmei is an outstanding instrumentalist who embodies the contemporary musical spirit of China.