Liu Zhuang (24th October 1932-30th June 2011)

She was a composer, arranger, pianist and teacher born in Shanghai, China whose father first taught her piano in Hongzhou. She went on to study at the Shanghai Conservatory before taking further studies in Russia.

After returning from Russia she became a music teacher at the Shanghai Conservatory before moving to the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing to continue teaching.

She served at the Central Philharmonic Society of Beijing as a composer and it was sometime during this period that she became one of a group of arrangers of Yellow River Cantata by Xian Xinghai. Working with the pianist Yin Chengzong and several others the piece was arranged into Yellow River Piano Concerto which was premiered in 1970 and has gone on to see much success in recordings and performances given all over the world.

In 1988 she featured in the documentary A Tale of the Wind aka Une histoire de vent and in 1989 she moved to the United States.

Her works include the choral piece Living Waters, Three Chinese Songs, Wind Through Pines for flute, cello and piano and Yimeng Mountain Ditty. Some have also been recorded on the 2004 CD American Masters for the 21st Century.

In the field of musical education she was scholar-in-residence at Syracuse University from 1989 to 2003.

She died in June 2011 when she was 78 years old.

China Philharmonic Orchestra recordings
Yellow River Piano Concerto (Xian Xinghai/arranged by Yin Chengzong, Liu Zhuang and several others)
DG 477 6229 (CD: Dragon Songs)
China Philharmonic Orchestra
Piano – Lang Lang
Conductor – Long Yu
Flute (Chinese) – Chen Shasha
Lute – Wu Yuxia

Sources:

Liu Zhuang (24th October 1932-30th June 2011)

Navigate Feenotes

Search Feenotes

Please donate to keep the site alive