Join us for an unforgettable evening with Yazhi Guo, a renowned virtuoso of the suona and a distinguished inventor of musical instruments. Experience the unique blend of traditional Chinese music and contemporary jazz through the mastery of the world’s premier suona performer.

About the Suona:

The suona, often heralded as the Chinese oboe, is a traditional wind instrument known for its distinctively loud and penetrating sound. It plays a pivotal role in Chinese folk and ceremonial music, capable of conveying a wide range of emotions. With its origins dating back centuries, the suona has been a staple in rituals, celebrations, and performances, enchanting audiences with its vibrant tones. Yazhi Guo, through his unparalleled skill and innovative techniques, has transformed the suona, bringing it to the forefront of global music.

Yazhi Guo:

Yazhi Guo is a well-known virtuoso of wind instruments and an inventor of musical instruments. He is a highly sought-after performer of various Chinese traditional and western wind Instruments on the international stage Guo is considered the world’s premier suona virtuoso.

Guo graduated from the Folk Music Department of the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing in 1990 and stayed on to teach at the Conservatory. In 2000, Guo was appointed as the principal suona by the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra In 2012, Guo furthered his pursuit of music in the United States. While in the US, he gave lectures and concerts at colleges such as Harvard University. The University of the Arts, and Berklee College of Music among others. in 2022, Guo got a offer as a faculty, Professor at Bard College. During Guo’s illustrious career, he has won numerous awards In 1993, Guo received the Second-Tier Scientific Progress Award from the Ministry of Culture of China for his invention of the flexible core, a movable reed for suona; In 1998, Guo was the Grand Prize winner of the New York Pro Musicis International Award; in 2013, Guo was the recipient of the annual Hong Kong Artist of the Year Award; and in 2015, upon completing his studies from the Berklee College of Music, Guo received an Artist Diploma After graduating from Berklee, Guo led the Berklee Jazz band to China and Singapore to showcase the fusion style of suona and Jazz performances. He has recorded dozens of solo albums, many of which were released worldwide. In addition to the flexible core for suona, he has modernized the traditional Hulusi into multi-pipe Hulusi, and traditional Guzhen into tonal transposable Guzhen, all of which has received much attention in the musical industry.

In December 2021, Guo, along with his friends, co-founded the American Academy of World Music where he became its first President. Guo set a goal to nurture future generations of talented multi-ethnic, multi-cultural musicians. Guo is endeavoring towards his dream of promoting a peaceful world through the people and power of music.

Program Highlights:

中国畅想曲 (Fantasy of China)

唤凤 (Summoning Phoenix)

大漠长河 (The Vast Desert and Long River)

One Night in Beijing

旧欢如梦 (Old Joys, Like Dreams)

Yazhi’s Blues

Yazhi’s Turkish Delight

夜来梦江南 (Dreaming of the South in the Night)

The Magic Land

Registration:

Admission is free for Harvard ID holders and CAMLab members.

A fee of $15 applies to non-Harvard participants.