2016-07-03 Virtuosos Concert: Di Zhang, Yangqin 張迪, 揚琴

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Zhang Di is an emerging and promising young yangqin virtuoso who is active in Toronto’s music scene. Since a very young age, Di has displayed mature musicianship and outstanding talent in music. When she was only seven years old, Di had already been accepted as a member of the Chinese Nationalities Orchestra Society in China. In 2002, Di enrolled in the primary music school of Beijing’s Central University of Nationalities and began learning yangqin professionally from virtuoso Xue Shu. Di started her undergraduate studies in yangqin performance at the university in 2008 and received regular yangqin lessons from acclaimed Professor Xili Gui. As a student, Di won numerous awards and scholarships, including the top award for dulcimer performance at the first ICAF national instrument contest (Singapore, 2010) and the “Hua Yi Award” for best musical performance (Macao, 2005). Di graduated as a top student from the university and successfully held a solo concert in Beijing in 2012.

Di subsequently moved to Toronto in 2012, and since then has joined the Toronto Chinese Orchestra (TCO) in every one of its annual concerts. Di is TCO’s plucked-string section leader, and she has organized and led a number of sectional rehearsals. Di also performs regularly with the Toronto YueFang Ensemble. In addition to yangqin performances, Di has performed Chinese drumming at The Sony Centre for the Performing Arts for Chinese New Year celebrations, as well as at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre for the Dragon Ball Charity Gala. In 2014, Di performed the yangqin and Chinese drum at the Canadian Sinfonietta 2014-2015 Season’s Concert at the Glenn Gould Studio. Prior to joining TCO, Di was a member of Beijing’s Central Orchestra of Ethnic Minorities.

Di is dedicated to and passionate about the promotion of yangqin music. Di aims to pursue higher education in Canada, while continuing to perform, teach, and share Chinese music with different cultures.

張迪,青年揚琴演奏家,近年來活躍於多倫多中國民族音樂舞台, 是多倫多中樂團的彈撥首席,並加入多倫多女子樂坊。於4 歲起跟隨於文玉老師啟蒙學習揚琴,2001 年考入北京藝術學院(附小),跟隨中央音樂學院教授桂習禮先生學習揚琴。 2002 年以專業課第一的成績考入中央民族大學音樂學院附中, 主修揚琴,師從於青年教師薛澍老師。 2008 年以專業課第一的成績考入中央民族大學音樂學院, 繼續跟隨薛澍老師學習, 期間得到了桂習禮教授的悉心指導。 2008 年加入中央少數民族樂團。 2006 年“大風杯”民族器樂大賽中榮獲特別金獎,2010 年新加坡“華人藝術節”民族器樂大賽青年專業組金獎。 2012 年成功的舉辦個人獨奏音樂會在中央民族大學音樂廳, 獲得教授的好評。同年畢業於中央民族大學音樂學院,在校期間多次獲得獎學金,並在校外比賽中取得優異的成績。