Silk Road Ensemble Artists

Hu Jianbing
bawu, sheng, suona

Hu Jianbing has earned wide recognition for his artistry as a sheng (Chinese mouth organ) soloist and composer. He also plays other Chinese wind instruments including the suona (Chinese trumpet) and guanzi (double reed woodwind). Mr. Hu was born into a family of musicians and graduated from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing with a degree in composition and performance. His honors include first prize in the Chinese Instrument Competition in the Gansu Province. Since coming to the United States, he has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Merkin Hall. Currently he is President of the Chinese Performing Arts Association of North America. As a composer, Mr. Hu has written new contemporary works for traditional Chinese instruments. In 1997 his composition "Autumn Melody" was premiered at the Beijing Concert Hall. The Boston Globe wrote of his recent performances, "he has an impressive command of the sheng and of a broad range of its classical, folk, and modern musical literatures."

In addition to performing with the Silk Road Ensemble, Mr. Hu has appeared as soloist with the National Traditional Orchestra of China throughout Southeast Asia and Europe.