Jiang Jianhua

Erhu

Ms Jiang Jian-Hua, a native of Shanghai in the People’s Republic of China, first learned the erhu under her uncle at the age of ten. She started her overseas performances, which spanned over Europe, Africa, South-East Asia and more when she was 13 years old.

In 1979, she was admitted to Central Conservatory of Music China and studied with An Ruli and Lan Rusong, she was appointed to be Associate Professor at the conservatory after the graduation. In 1982, Jiang Jianhua gained the Grand Prix of National Folk Instrumental Music Festival. She received the great honour to be recognized as the “First Class National Player” by the Ministry of Culture of the People’s Republic of China four years later.

Jiang has begun her worldwide tour since she was 16 with Chinese artist delegation.In 1978, Seiji Ozawa visited China and was deeply touched by her performance. Since then, Ms Jiang was consequently invited to be the soloist at the Tanglewood Music Festival, Boston Symphony Orchestra and San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, all of which brought her great admirations from the audiences. Herbert von Kajaran was also deeply touched by her music and invited her to perform in Germany immediately while visiting China in 1980.

In 1986, at the opening concert of the Suntory Hall with New Japan Philharmonic, she played the erhu Concerto especially composed for her by Kei Anjo under the direction of Seiji Ozawa. In April of 1989, atthe subscription Concert of Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Seiji Ozawa, she played “The Shadow of Wind” composed by Kei Anjo, which credited her for her exceeding technique and artistic delicacy.

In 1990, Ms Jiang was invited to perform with Shanghai Symphony Orchestra at the Carnegie Hall at the occasion of the Centenary Gala Concert of the Foundation of the Hall. Her touching playing, that she presented in 1995 at Seiji Ozawa’s Sixty-Year-Old Congratulatory Concert, inspired and moved the hearts of many artists and audience. In the same year, both at Suntory Hall, Tokyo, Osaka Symphony Hall, and next year in Beijing Concert Hall, the erhu Concerto “Hiten for Erhu and Orchestra” composed and dedicated to her by Maki Ishii, was premiered by Ms Jiang, herself. In 1999, she performed the Yang Liqing’s Erhu concerto “Elegie” with China National Symphony Orchestra in their Japanese tour.

Ms Jiang has returned to China. Apart from being appointed to be the professor of Central Conservatory of Music Chinain 2007, she has made numerous appearances on the domestic stage as well.Erhu recitals were held at the Shanghai Grand Theatre in 2002 and at the Shanghai Concert Hall in 2005.In 2008 and 2019, She played twice in the Beijing New Year Concert ofNCPA and what’s more, she performed under the baton of Seiji Ozawa in 2008. In addition, Ms Jiang has also performed at various music festivals in France,Russia, the Netherlands, Japan and other countriessince 2016.

Till date, she has released numerous CDs under the label of China Record, Columbia and Victor, JVC and etc. Also, Ms Jiang has co-operated with world’s top orchestras like Berliner Philharmoniker, Boston Symphony Orchestra, NHK Symphony Orchestra, New Japan Symphony Orchestra, China National Symphony Orchestra and Shanghai Symphony Orchestra.