Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble
Finding Inspiration in Every Connection
The Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble has been performing together since 1989. At the time, they were the first professional Chinese music organization in Canada. For their first appearance, the ensemble was invited to perform for the Governor General’s Concert at the Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver.
The group now consists of musicians who are all masters of traditional instruments including Chinese flutes (dizi), guitars (ruan), violin (erhu), pipes (sheng), zither (guzheng), and lute (pipa). They blend tradition and technical mastery with a passionate approach. This enables them to integrate diverse styles on Chinese instruments.
The Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble participates in a variety of performances, sharing ancient melodies passed down through generations as well as developing new music for traditional Chinese instruments. They have even been on international tours, bridging cultures all over the world.
The ensemble is dedicated to strengthening connections between related instruments by fostering innovative musical collaborations. As ambassadors of Chinese music, they share their culture through concerts and educational initiatives. The ensemble endeavors to make connections with musical communities and create a space for contemporary compositions and interdisciplinary projects for Chinese instruments.
Our Story
樂團簡介: 溫哥華中華樂團成立於1989年， 是加拿大第一個由專業中國音樂家組成的音樂團體。 樂團的第一次亮相， 是在溫哥華奧芬劇場舉行的加拿大總督專場音樂會上演出。 此後， 已在加美各地演出數百場。 樂團成員均受過高等音樂教育， 並有豐富的演奏經驗。 他們共同組成一支技藝精湛， 並具有嚴謹和嚴肅的專業精神及藝術態度的隊伍。 樂團的演出以各種組合進行， 樂器有二胡、笛子、琵琶、揚琴、箏和阮。
樂團曾和眾多作曲家合作，包括卓汭仕，並於1999年首演了他的三部曲。他們演奏的作品範圍極為廣泛，從中國傳統的古典及民間樂曲，到近代作曲家創作的經典作品及高難度的現代音樂代表作。除了開辦專場音樂會，樂團曾在溫哥華，愛民頓，威尼佩格等地參加過無數的民間音樂節。他們的演出上過加拿大國家廣播電台、電視，並於2000年出版了第一張CD 《紫竹異鄉調》。他們通過與各方的合作努力，不斷開拓新的音樂領域和藝術境界，將中華音樂文華發揚光大並介紹給西方社會，使中國古老的傳統樂器逐漸熔融於主流社會。他們精彩的演奏及對藝術標準的高度追求，使他們在專業界獲得了廣泛認同，也使他們成為本地樂壇頗受注目的重要一員。為表彰他們多年來的努力與貢獻，加拿大國家藝術委員會授予溫哥華中華樂團多元文化成就獎。樂團未來幾年的音樂活動都將獲得加拿大三級政府的分別撥款資助。
Meet The Ensemble
Vancouver Chinese Instrumental Music Society
In 1999, the Vancouver Chinese Instrumental Music Society was established to support the work of the Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble, which was formed in 1989.
The Ensemble has worked with several Vancouver-based and international composers, including Rui Shi Zhuo, Mark Armanini, Janet Danielson, Nai Chung Kuan, Qing Hua Zheng, Jin Zhang, Lisa Miller, Kang Nian Tang, Michael O’Neill, Jon Siddall, Jacqueline Leggatt, John Oliver, Sammy Chien, Remy Siu and Alan Lau.
This versatile group embraces the popular and classical traditions of China as well as Western classical and contemporary music performed on Chinese instruments. The Ensemble has a broad repertoire encompassing traditional music from various regions of China, to adaptations of Canadian folk songs and other music.
In addition to self-produced concert presentations, the Ensemble has presented educational concerts and performed at local events including Vancouver New Music events, the Sonic Boom Festival, the Vancouver Folk Music Festival and Chinese community celebrations, as well as in concerts and at music festivals across Canada and in the United States.
They have performed at festivals in Montreal, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Mission, and in concerts in Montreal, Toronto, Hamilton, Richmond Hill, Kitimat, Osoyoos and Kamloops. In the United States, the Ensemble has performed in Portland, Port Angeles and Seattle. The group has performed in schools across BC and has showcased at regional and national events including Pacific Contact, ArtScan and the Canada Council for the Arts’ Presence Conference.
They have released several albums through the years which can be heard here.After a reunion tour during covid we recorded a new album called Jazzmine Jazz that is available now for purchase.
Together with the Ensemble, the Society works to educate Canadian audiences about traditional Chinese music and contemporary music for Chinese instruments and/or based on Chinese music.
DKAM Arts Management
