Internationally acclaimed Pipa artist, Hongyan Zhang, joins a host of Chinese performers at an exclusive event in Belfast as part of the Middle of Autumn celebrations. Known as “the Queen of Pipa” in China, Hongyan Zhang brings the world's ancient cultural art form to life on the Ulster Hall stage on 26 September.
Starting to learn Pipa from the age of seven, Hongyan Zhang was the first person to hold a special Pipa concerto concert in her school time. Her talent and love of the Pipa has brought her around the world performing to audiences in over 40 countries, working alongside world-renowned orchestras such as The Macau Orchestra, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Brazil National Symphony Orchestra and Russia Mariinsky Orchestra.
"an envoy from the orient and an incomparable music fairy" Washington Post
Folllowing performances in Carnegie Hall, Sydney Opera House, Berlin Philharmonic Hall and Vienna Concert Hall, Zhang is bringing her incredible talent to Belfast for an exclusive performance. Combining folk music along the Silk Road and contemporary dance, the concert brings together the Pipa, Chinese traditional percussions and exquisite stage decoration, giving audiences an unforgettable multi-dimensional artistic experience.
What is a Pipa?
Pipa, also known as the Chinese lute, is a four-stringed musical instrument. It is also considered the king of Chinese plucked-string instruments. With a pear-shaped wooden body, Pipa has a number of frets ranging from 12 to 26, and dates back to the Han dynasty (around the second century AD). With a 2000-year history, Pipa is one of the most developed and popular Chinese instruments.
Pipa is not just a musical instrument; shaping ancient Chinese singing and dancing, it is a symbol of Chinese traditional culture.
