Yu Hongmei

Yu Hongmei

Yu Hongmei, born in 1971 in Jinan, Shandong Province, is a Chinese Erhu player. Vice president of the Central Conservatory of music.

In 1984, he was admitted to the middle school attached to the Central Conservatory of music. In May 1996, Yu Hongmei's master erhu concert was held in Beijing Concert Hall. In 1998, with his solo album "Capriccio of red plum", he won the first prize of the first National Award for excellent literary and artistic audio-visual products. In 1999, the album "Mihu" won the "best world folk music award" of the "world independent record Award". In 2000, he performed in the United Nations Congress Hall, Lincoln Art Center, Kennedy Center for performing arts, Chicago Symphony Hall and San Francisco Symphony Hall. In 2001, he performed in the Champs Elysees Grand Theatre in Paris, France.

In 2002, he held a solo concert at Carnegie Hall in New York, USA. In 2003, he won the fourth China "gold record" award for his album "Yu Hongmei Erhu Concerto". In 2005, he won the first prize of "outstanding young teacher award" of the 10th Fok Ying Tung Education Fund. In 2008, "Yu Hongmei teachers and students' Relief Concert" was held in Jinan, Shandong Province; in the same year, a solo concert was held at Disneyland Concert Hall in Los Angeles, California. In June and November 2010, two erhu concerts were held at the National Grand Theater. In 2012, he performed in the "top ten young erhu performers concert" of CCTV; in the same year, he served as the director of the Folk Music Department of the Central Conservatory of music. In 2016, he participated in the Chinese New Year Concert in Westminster central hall, London, UK. In 2020, Yu Hongmei and National Chamber Music Concert of "red plum blossom" will be held in the concert hall of National Grand Theater.

Early experience

Yu Hongmei's father is an actor of Lu opera. When she was four years old, she took part in the performance of Lu Opera "blessing" and played a Mao, the son of Xianglin's sister-in-law. In primary school, he won honor on stage by dancing and reciting. Solo dance won the third prize in the first dance competition of Shandong Province. He won the first prize of Shandong Province (primary and secondary schools) Putonghua competition for three consecutive years. In October 1983, in the second "autumn of spring city" concert, "a flower" won high praise.

Character experience

In 1984, he was admitted to the middle school attached to the Central Conservatory of music, and received the guidance of Zhang Shao, LAN Yusong and Liu Changfu. In May 1996, Yu Hongmei's master's erhu concert was held in Beijing Concert Hall. He performed the composer Tang Jianping's Erhu Concerto Baque for the first time.

In 1998, with his solo album "Capriccio of red plum", he won the first prize of the first National Award for excellent literary and artistic audio-visual products. In 1999, with the album "Mihu", he won the "best world folk music award" of the "world independent record Award".

In 2000, he participated in the "Chinese culture America Tour" activity of the Ministry of culture and performed in the United Nations Congress Hall, Lincoln Art Center, Kennedy Center for performing arts, Chicago Symphony Hall and San Francisco Symphony Hall.

In 2001, he performed "two springs reflecting the moon" at the Champs Elysees Grand Theatre in Paris. In February 2002, he held a solo concert at Carnegie Hall in New York. He was the first Chinese national instrumental performer to hold a solo concert again.

In 2003, he held a solo concert at salar cotot Concert Hall in Paris, France; in November, he won the fourth China "gold record" award for his album "Yu Hongmei Erhu Concerto".

In 2004, he performed "Capriccio of red plum" in the International Music Festival of Lvov, Ukraine. In 2005, he won the first prize of "outstanding young teacher award" of the 10th Fok Ying Tung Education Fund.

In September 2007, in order to celebrate Professor Zhang Shao's 80th birthday, a concert for teachers and students of Yu Hongmei was held in the Central Conservatory of music. In June 2008, in cooperation with conductor and composer Liu Wenjin, "Yu Hongmei teachers and students Relief Concert" was held in Jinan, Shandong Province, and a solo concert was held in Los Angeles Disneyland concert hall, California.

In 2009, he won the Ministry of education's "new century talent funding program"; in the same year, he held solo concerts in Calgary and Vancouver, Canada. In June and November 2010, two erhu concerts were held in the National Grand Theater. The former was mainly composed of traditional style works, mostly accompanied by dulcimer and small orchestra, while the latter was composed of contemporary erhu new works, and concerted by Beijing Symphony Orchestra.

In July 2011, he participated in the symphony concert of "music singing in the East" to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, played "sunshine shining on Tashkurgan" and "red plum Capriccio"; in September, he participated in the cultural series activities of "China: the art of a country" and performed at Kennedy performing arts center in Washington.

In 2012, he won the "gardener Award" of the "Wenhua Cup" Chinese national instrumental music competition of the Ministry of culture; in the same year, he participated in the "top ten young erhu performers concert" of CCTV; in the same year, he served as the director of the Folk Music Department of the Central Conservatory of music.

In April 2013, a solo concert was held in Wuhan Qintai concert hall. In 2014, he won the "gardener Award" of the "Wenhua Cup" Chinese national instrumental music competition of the Ministry of culture again; in the same year, he won the honorary title of "four groups of talents".

In February 2016, he attended the Chinese New Year Concert in Westminster central hall, London, UK. On January 3, 2018, he was appointed Vice President of the Central Conservatory of music.

In January 2020, he will perform "the sound of spring" Chinese New Year Concert in New York, USA, playing "red plum Capriccio"; in September, he will hold a teacher-student concert in Chongqing Grand Theater; in November, he will cooperate with conductor Lin Tao to hold "red plum blossom" Yu Hongmei and National Chamber Music Concert in concert hall of National Grand Theater.

In February 2021, in cooperation with Pipa player Zhang Hongyan, he planned to perform in the special folk music concert "greetings from the mountains" in the "sound in China" column of Xinhua news agency.

Main works

Music Album

Important performance

Performance style

Style features

Yu Hongmei's performance has a strong "erhu flavor". She has a good traditional foundation and carries forward the traditional spirit. At the same time, Yu Hongmei is also one of the contemporary erhu performers with a strong sense of modernity. Her handy modern performance skills and ability to control modern large-scale works are examples. What is valuable is that although Yu Hongmei's performance is highly skilled, it is simple, natural and full of musicality. More importantly, her performance has never lost the unique style of erhu, an ancient traditional musical instrument.

Track range

Yu Hongmei is good at learning and comprehending the essence and charm of traditional erhu music. In 2009, Yu Hongmei published the album "the great sage's legacy - Liu Tianhua's ten famous songs", which is the crystallization of her efforts to attach importance to traditional music; the erhu song "a flower" adapted from folk Suona music plate has unique charm in her mind; her performance "Er Quan Ying Yue" has reached a very high level of musical beauty and artistic appeal, which is very touching. Similarly, Yu Hongmei's performance and interpretation of modern erhu music shows her passion and pursuit of the times. Her first modern erhu repertoire is composed of Tang Jianping's Erhu Concerto Baque, Guan Naizhong's Erhu Concerto No.2 -- Pursuing Beijing, Zhang Xiaofu's Beihai aria (Jinghu and electronic music), Liu Yuan's erhu and the orchestra Mu Guiying in command, Guan Ming's Xikou charm, Zhu Yi's erhu and Symphony Orchestra suite western region customs, etc.

Award winning record

Character evaluation

Yu Hongmei is a beautiful and enthusiastic erhu player. She is one of the few erhu players who are famous outside the Great Wall. (review of New York concert magazine)

Yu Hongmei, with her concentration, exquisite skills, magnanimous typhoon and exquisite personalized style, has always been pursuing perfection. (comments by music scholar Qiao Jianzhong)

Yu Hongmei innovates in the interpretation of music and the application of performance techniques, which makes traditional music sprout new ideas and modern music show new appearance. Her vigorous performance style is refreshing. (comments by music scholar Zhang Qian)

Chinese PinYin : Yu Hong Mei