Eddie McGUIRE - Dizi

Born in Glasgow, Eddie studied composition with James Iliff at the Royal Academy of Music, London (1966-70) and then with the Swedish composer Ingvar Lidholm in Stockholm. His works have been regularly broadcasted and commissions have come from the Glasgow University McEwen Bequest, the New Music Group of Scotland, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, the St Magnus Festival, and the Edinburgh International Festival.

Homepage: www.scottishmusiccentre.com/edward_mcguire/

WU YanMei (MeiMei) - Zheng & Dance

Trained in dance and music from an early age, MeiMei is an actress, musician and dancer who has since gone on to perform to international acclaim. Originally from Jiangsu province, China, MeiMei’s dance performances have been broadcast both on China Central Television (CCTV) and the BBC. In 2006 she gained her MMus in East Asian music performance from SOAS, University of London and was also selected by Theatre-Rites, a London based theatre company, to receive an artists/choreographers bursary for black and minority ethnic artists/performers. MeiMei recently called upon her considerable skills as an actress, dancer, singer and zheng musician to perform in Peace Pagoda Act 1 at the Linbury Theatre of the Royal Opera House.

Homepage: www.meimei.co.uk

IP KimHo - Yangqin

Born in Hong Kong, KimHo has been actively working with musicians, dancers and visual artists in the UK since 2000. He performs on the Yangqin and cello with ensembles in Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Bristol and York. Recent performances include the St. Magnus Festival in Orkney and the Celtic Connections in Glasgow.

KimHo was awarded a Doctorate in Composition from the Edinburgh University. He is also the artistic director of Intercultural Music & Arts Project (iMAP) and artist-in-residence for In2national. His compositions have been performed at the ISCM World New Music Days (2002), music@Edinburgh festival (2003) and the Edinburgh International Festival (2005).

Homepage: www.kimhoip.com

LIU Fong - Voice

Originally from Suzhou in the Jiangsu province of China, Fong has an amazing ability to render and adapt her voice to a wide range of styles, from the vivacious Mongolian mountain songs and gentle folk lullabies to the swing of 1930’s Shanghai jazz and modern Chinese pop. Taught by her father, an accomplished Peking opera singer, at the age of five, Fong draws inspiration from her Chinese folk tradition, Peking Opera, Chinese Jazz and modern Chinese pop. She spent six months in 2004 living in the Western Provinces of China perfecting mountain songs. Having received wide acclaim in China and India, Fong is now welcomed in the West. 

Homepage:  www.fongliu.co.uk

CHUANG Cheng-Ying - Zhongruan, Countertenor & Liuqin

 Born in Taiwan, Cheng-Ying won 1st prize in the Taiwan Music Competition for liuqin solo (1991) and Taipei Philharmonic Foundation’s Voice Competition (2004), and 2nd prize in the Cecil Drew Oratorio Prize at the Birmingham Conservatoire (2006). He studied voice with Julian Pike and Christine Cairns and graduated with a MMus in 2007 as a countertenor at the Birmingham Conservatoire. Cheng-Ying performs in Chinese/Western/world fusion music styles in the UK and Taiwan. He is the first countertenor to be awarded as Young Star of National Concert Hall in Taipei in 2008.

Homepage:  www.cchuang.net

ENG Hooi Ling - Percussion & Piano 

Born in Malaysia, Hooi Ling studied the piano with Valerie Ross in Malaysia and later with Fali Pavri at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. Hooi Ling first developed a passion for world music when she was an ethnomusicology student in Germany and is now immersed in musical traditions from China, Java, Bali and Ghana.  She regularly performs with Gamelan Naga Mas, an Indonesian Gamelan orchestra based in Glasgow, and Akaya (Pan African Arts Scotland music group) and volunteers for Ricefield Arts and Cultural Centre, an organisation which nurtures Chinese arts and culture in Scotland.

Willem MATHLENER – Violin

Started his musical studies in South Africa, where he received violin lessons from Hester Woliz-Udal, Annemarie Swanepoel and Denise Sutton. During that time he was a member of the Chamber Orchestra of South Africa, Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra as well as freelance musician for most of the professional orchestras in South Africa. In 2005 he was awarded the Associated Board International Scholarship to further his studies at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama studying under Peter Lissauer and viola under Catherine Marwood.

SUN Zhuo - Zheng

Zhuo gained her BMus and MMus from the Central Conservatory of Music, Beijing and is currently a PhD student at the University of London. She is in demand as a guzheng player in China and London with two recently released CDs of traditional and new music. She has been invited to give a recital of contemporary and cross-cultural compositions at Sheffield University in May, 2006. She also performs regularly with the Silk String Quartet.