Jodie Wang, Pipaist

Inspired to learn pipa at age seven after reading an ancient Chinese poem describing the instrument’s elegant and meditative sound, Zhuxi (Jodie) Wang has since toured Germany, France, Holland, Belgium, Austria, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau as a soloist or the principal performer of multiple orchestras. She won numerous awards in both national and international music competitions throughout her early career, and she was accepted into the folk orchestra of China’s most prestigious university, Peking University, as the only pipa player to win the stringent auditions that year against hundreds of participants from across the country. She remained the principal pipaist until her graduation, and her solo, “Story: Inspired by the Tang Dynasty Poem Pipa,” was the only solo piece selected for inclusion on the studio album, Hou Tu, released by the university’s orchestra. Wang has performed at many diplomatic occasions for foreign political leaders, royal family members, and well-known scholars visiting China. Her talent was also showcased on China’s most popular networks (e.g., CCTV, BJTV, etc.) and on various television shows.

After moving to the U.S., Wang won the Golden Award at the 2012 Huain Cup International Chinese Music Competition held in California, competing with top-notch musicians from all over the world. Since joining as one of the group’s youngest artists, she has appeared extensively throughout the Houston area as a promising pipa performer with a career spanning solo, chamber and orchestral appearances. Her playing is noted for its inspiring lyricism and emotional expressiveness, described by CultureMap in the following way: “from porcelain-like clarity to passionate displays of darker emotions — anger, sorrow and grief — the pipa was given a voice that transcended its cultural context.” While devoted deeply to her musical career, Wang is also currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology at the University of Houston. Wang is a member of China Nationalities Orchestra Society (CNOS) and serves on the board of the professional association of pipa virtuosos affiliated under CNOS.