We are delighted to have you join us to celebrate Chao Tian's album releasing for The Girl from the East, a culmination of a musical journey that features seven live pieces from Chao Tian's Artist-in-Residence (AIR) concerts at the Strathmore Mansion in April 2018. Her time as an AIR at The Music Center at Strathmore was a vital and unforgettable experience, opening up a whole new innovative world for her. From East to West, Chao has broken through boundaries with her music. She will showcase classic Chinese music and original compositions with the Chinese dulcimer in this concert.

About Chao Tian 

A leading performer on the Chinese dulcimer, director of artistic committee of Chinese Music Society of Greater Washington, an alumni of the prestigious Artist in Residence program at Strathmore Music Center, and a leader of 'Always Folk' ensemble, Chao Tian has established a career as a soloist, educator, advocate, and composer in both traditional Chinese music and other genres. As a lecturer at Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU) and a former member of the world renowned Twelve Girls Band, she worked many years in the discipline of musical and cultural exchange.

Her musical journey began at the age of 5 and at age 12 she gained entrance to the Affiliated Middle School of China Conservatory of Music with a major in dulcimer. Later she was recommended for immediate admission to the China Conservatory of Music, where she obtained the master’s degree of Arts in Musical Performance in 2010. As an ambassador of art and culture, she had performed in over 30 different countries and regions across the globe and she has collaborated with numerous acclaimed musicians in many unprecedented projects that explore connections between the musical worlds of China and the others.

Meanwhile, she is intrigued by various cultures and music from other parts of the world, which have given her more challenges and ideas. Her music reflects her role as a leader of a younger generation of Chinese musicians, and her understanding of traditional and contemporary music, from the east to the west. She wishes to let the world hear the sounds from the East in her unique way.