LI Zhe is Concertmaster of the China NCPA Orchestra and Chinese-Canadian violinist. He has served as a violin performer and concertmaster at the London Symphony Orchestra, I Musici de Montreal Chamber Orchestra, China National Opera House Symphony Orchestra and China NCPA Orchestra. He is founding member of the “Beijing Trio” and “China NCPA Quartet”, distinguished expert at the Ministry of Culture and State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, director of CFCM, guest professor and postgraduate supervisor at the Central Conservatory of Music, and expert at the Poly Cinemas Art Review Committee.

At the age of 10, LI won the 2^nd Prize in the National Violin Competition. He is a graduate of the Affiliated Primary School of Central Conservatory of Music, the Central Conservatory of Music Middle School, and Central Conservatory, and used to study under violin educator Prof. LIN Yaoji. After graduation, he won full scholarship for advanced studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and Universite de Montreal, becoming the last disciple of the late violin educator Yfrah Neaman. Also, he studied under Gorden Nicolich, the concertmaster at the London Symphony Orchestra, and Eleonora Turovsky, a violin educator.

During his studies, LI served as Concertmaster of the China Children’s Symphony Orchestra, China Teenagers’ Symphony Orchestra, China Youth Symphony Orchestra, Guildhall Symphony Orchestra, British Musicians Orchestra and Orchestre Symphonique de Universite de Montréal. In 2001, he was selected for the London Symphony Orchestra’s “Music Talent” programme, starting his career as a professional performer. In 2005, he began to serve as Associate Concertmaster and Deputy Concertmaster of the I Musici de Montreal Chamber Orchestra. During this period, he also worked with four musicians in holding a solo concert of Paganini’s 24 capriccios, and served as Montreal-China Cultural Ambassador and Secretary-General of the Quebec Chinese Musicians’ Associations. After returning home on invitation in 2010, he served as Concertmaster of the China National Opera House Symphony Orchestra and China NCPA Orchestra. Under his leadership, the orchestras gave about 1,000 concerts and performed about 100 operas in dozens of music seasons, including Turandot, Der Fliegende Holländer, Lohengrin, Tannhäuser, and Aida, winning wide acclaim from all walks of life. For his outstanding performance, he has twice won the “Excellent Performance Award” by the Ministry of Culture.

LIU Xian is the principal second violin of the China NCPA Orchestra.

LIU is a native of Qingdao and began to learn the violin with his father at three. He used to attend the Affiliated Primary School of Shanghai Conservatory of Music, the Central Conservatory of Music Middle School and Central Conservatory of Music, and study under Prof. JIN Ming and Prof. WANG Zhenshan. In 2003, he was selected by famous German Professor Ulrich Dieric and went to the Hochschule für Musik Saar for advanced studies. In 2004, he was admitted to Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin, the highest European conservatory of music, and studied under Prof. Gal Braunstein, Concertmaster of Berliner Philharmoniker, and Prof. Michael Vogler. In 2009, he graduated with full marks, obtaining a Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree. In 2015, he was admitted to the Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber Dresden and studied under master violinist Malinowski for a violin solo master diploma (doctoral degree). Also, he served as a teaching assistant and participated in college teaching. In 2017, he graduated with full marks yet again.

In 2001, LIU was selected by master violinist Izahke Perlman for the “Perlman Music School” in Shanghai. In 2004, he won the 3^rd prize in the “Concorso internazionale di violino Niccolò Paganini”, and gave touring solo concerts in Europe. In 2008, he was selected for the “Wonderful” Concerts founded by Master Barenboim, and performed Shostakovich’s violin works as soloist in the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin. In 2015, he acted as a soloist and performed Bottesini’s violin & bass concertos with the China NCPA Orchestra, receiving wide praise.

While studying in Germany, LIU started his professional career as an orchestra member. In 2004, he joined the SWR Symphonieorchester as an intern; in 2005 and 2006, he served as Concertmaster of the Schleswig Holstein Musik Festival Orchestra, and toured the world with maestros including Eisenbach and Gergiev. In 2008 and 2009, he was admitted to the Deutsche Oper Berlin and Radio-Symphonie Orchestra, Berlin as the first violin performer.

ZHUANG Ran is principal viola performer at the China NCPA Orchestra.

ZHUANG started learning the violin at four, and was admitted to the Central Conservatory of Music Middle School at 12, becoming a student of LI Xiangyang and LIU Xiaolong. In 2000, when she was 12 years old, she was admitted to the Central Conservatory of Music with the highest mark and started studying under Prof. HE Rong. After graduation, she went to the Université de Montréal for advanced studies and obtained a Master’s degree. Then, she went to the USA for advanced studies with a full scholarship at a famous conservatory of music and obtained an artist diploma. There, she studied under world-renowned violist Paul Clytie.

ZHUANG won the 1^st prize in the Junior Group of the 1^st National Viola Competition, as well as the Best Performance Award for Chinese Works and the Best Performance Award for Sonatas. She won the 2^nd prize in the Youth Group of the 2^nd National Unaccompanied Viola Competition. She won the 1^st prize for Modern Work Performance in the International Viola Conference 2006. She has attended the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, Pacific Music Festival Japan and Spoleto Festival USA for a number of times as principal viola performer. She has held solo concerts in the Salle Claude-Champagne Concert Hall, Montreal, Zipper Concert Hall in Los Angeles, and Mayman Concert Hall.

LIANG Xiao is principal cello at the China NCPA Orchestra.

Born into a cello family, LIANG Xiao was admitted to the Central Conservatory of Music Middle School and studied cello under the guidance of Namura, Headmaster of the Central Conservatory of Music Middle School. At the age of 22, he went abroad with a full NEC scholarship and merit scholarship for further studies under master cellist Laurence Lesser, and obtained a Master’s degree in Cello Performance with distinction from the New England Conservatory of Music, USA. He won the 1^st prize and Best Commissioned Work Performance Award in the 6^th National Cello Competition in 2008, and won the Boston String Quartet Competition in 2010. His theses On Multiple Music of the United States and Comparison of Music Education between China and the USA, etc. were awarded a certificate of excellence by the U.S. Educational Science Publishing House and World Academic Periodicals Association.

LIANG used to be a cellist at the Boston String Quartet and toured North America. He also served as cello performer at the Yunhe Quartet, and worked with clarinetist WANG Tao, violinist ZHANG Jingzhi and composer CHEN Xinruo. The Yunhe Quartet toured Asia and released the album “Children’s Garden Such Good Things” in the USA, China and Southeast Asia. The album won Best Album Award at the 15^th Golden Melody Awards.

LIANG once performed impromptu with the Silk Road Ensemble at the invitation of Yo-Yo Ma. In 2008, he worked with the Beijing Symphony Orchestra on the premiere of QIN Wenchen’s cello concerto Dawn at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Modern Music Festival at the invitation of composer YE Xiaogang. In 2013, he toured Asia with the BBC Concert Orchestra on invitation. In 2014, he was invited to the second Central Conservatory of Music Middle School Alumni Art Festival. In 2016, he was invited to perform the poems written by poets Neruda and Oliver with CHEN Jianbing and WANG Gang at the second World Poetry Day Concert.