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Wu Man (; born January 2, 1963)

(2019). 9781452171777, Chronicle Books. .
is a Chinese player and composer. Trained in Pudong-style pipa performance at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, she is known for playing in a broad range of musical styles and introducing the pipa and its Chinese heritage into Western genres. She has performed and recorded extensively with the and Silk Road Ensemble and has premiered works by , , , , , , and , among many others. She has recorded and appeared on over 40 albums, five of which have been nominated for . In 2013, she was named Instrumentalist of the Year by , becoming the first performer of a non-Western instrument to receive this award. She additionally received The United States Artists Award in 2008.

Biography
Born in , , Wu Man began taking pipa lessons at age 9. When universities opened their doors to new students in 1977 after the Cultural Revolution had ended, Wu Man traveled to Beijing to audition for the Central Conservatory of Music. At 13, she became the youngest student at the school, and her final audition was covered in national newspapers.Wu Man. "Chinese Idol." The Silk Road Project Newsletter. May 2011. Accessed July 25, 2014. http://archive.silkroadproject.org/News/Newsletter/July11/ChineseIdolPart2/tabid/1483/Default.aspx While at the Conservatory, she studied Pudong-style pipa performance under Lin Shicheng, Kuang Yuzhong, Chen Zemin, and . Central Conservatory of Music. "Lin Shicheng." Accessed July 21, 2014. http://www.ccom.edu.cn/news/jczt/zt/2012lsc/201211/t20121116_22608.html She was first exposed to non-Chinese music in 1979 when and the Boston Symphony Orchestra performed in Beijing, and again in 1980 when she attended ’s master classes at the Conservatory. She received her Master's Degree (the first such degree conferred on a pipa player) in 1987. CCoM. "Degree List (1987)." Accessed July 21, 2014. http://www.ccom.edu.cn/aboutccom/jigou/jfjg/ysss/xwsy/201010/t20101014_13787.html

Wu Man first performed in the United States as a member of the China Youth Arts Troupe in 1985. She then moved to the U.S. five years later to pursue a career in pipa performance that would allow her repertoire to extend beyond traditional Chinese music. Upon arriving in with her husband (who had begun working on his Ph.D. in chemistry at ), she began working with ensembles such as the (see below), and premiered works by Chinese and Chinese-American composers. In 1997, she gave the premiere of 's Concerto for Pipa and String Orchestra with Dennis Russell Davies conducting the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Written specifically for Wu Man, the work has been recorded twice, the latter of which (with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Miguel Harth-Bedoya) was nominated for a Grammy for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance with Orchestra. In 1998, Wu Man was awarded a fellowship to study at the Bunting Institute at Radcliffe College.The Harvard University Gazette. "Thirty-Seven Women Appointed Fellows at Radcliffe's Bunting Institute." Accessed July 22, 2014. http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/1998/05.28/Thirty-SevenWom.html That same year, she became a founding member of 's Silk Road Project (see below).

In 2003, Wu Man began working with , performing in the premiere of his opera The Sound of a Voice at the American Repertory Theater.American Repertory Theater. "The Sound of a Voice." Accessed July 28, 2014. http://americanrepertorytheater.org/events/show/sound-voice She is featured in the recording of a suite from this work, which was released in 2007 on Glass's private label, Orange Mountain Music.Philip Glass. "Recordings: Theater Music, Vol. 1" Accessed July 28, 2014. http://www.philipglass.com/music/recordings/theater_music.php In 2004, Wu Man was approached by Glass once again to collaborate on a commission from the Cultural Olympiad on the occasion of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. Taking Orion as its title and inspiration (the constellation can be seen from both hemispheres throughout the year), the piece contains movements representing various countries around the world. The third movement, "China", was co-written by Glass and Wu Man, and features Wu Man on pipa. Additional collaborators include , Mark Atkins, Foday Musa Suso, , and Uakti. The work was premiered prior to the Games, and recorded and released on Orange Mountain Music in 2005.Glass. "Compositions: Orion." Accessed July 24, 2014. http://www.philipglass.com/music/compositions/orion.php

In 2009, Wu Man curated a pair of concerts at as part of the Ancient Paths, Modern Voices Festival. The concerts focused on music from remote areas of China, including traditions of the and peoples, as well as ritual.Carnegie Hall. "Ancient Paths, Modern Voices." Accessed July 22, 2014. http://www.carnegiehall.org/chinafestival/index.aspx The process of finding these musicians was documented in the 2012 film Discovering a Musical Heartland: Wu Man's Return to China.

Wu Man's achievements in bringing the pipa to new audiences were recognized at the end of 2012 when selected her as the 2013 Instrumentalist of the Year. She is the first performer of a non-Western instrument to receive this award. Later that season, Wu Man premiered her composition Blue and Green with New York–based chamber orchestra The Knights. Arranged for pipa and string orchestra by and The Knights' Colin Jacobsen, the work is influenced by folk melodies that Wu Man heard travelling through China. That same season, Wu Man premiered ’s Pipa Concerto No. 2 at the Sydney Opera House with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, who commissioned the work along with a consortium of North American orchestras.Sydney Symphony Orchestra. "Tea & Symphony." November 1, 2013. Accessed July 28, 2014. http://www.sydneysymphony.com/media/861987/prog31_20131101_newworld_tas_sso.pdf

In 2014, Wu Man was named the first Musician-in-Residence at the Huntington Library. The residency included educational outreach programs, as well as a commission for a new composition. The piece, Three Sharing, was written by Wu Man for pipa, , and , and was premiered on June 17, 2014 at the Huntington's Chinese Garden.The Huntington. "Garden of Flowing Fragrance." Accessed July 28, 2014. http://huntington.org/WebAssets/Templates/content.aspx?id=2540

Collaborations
Kronos Quartet
Wu Man first performed with the in the premiere of 's Soul for pipa and string quartet at the Pittsburgh New Music Festival in 1992.WorldCat. "Soul: pipa and string quartet." Accessed July 23, 2014. http://www.worldcat.org/title/soul-pipa-and-string-quartet/oclc/28433345 The Quartet's founding violinist, David Harrington, says he "heard all sorts of possibilities in Wu Man's vivid pipa sound,"Kronos Quartet. "A Chinese Home." Accessed July 23, 2014. http://kronosquartet.org/projects/detail/a_chinese_home/ and the Quartet subsequently commissioned to write a piece for the same instrumentation. The resulting Ghost Opera, a semi-staged work with minimal sets and lighting, received its premiere at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in 1995.Kronos Quartet. "Ghost Opera." Accessed July 23, 2014. http://kronosquartet.org/projects/detail/ghost_opera/ The work was later and released on in 1997. On the occasion of 's 70th birthday in 2005, the Quartet commissioned a new work from him that would include pipa. After working with Wu Man for over a year to learn the intricacies of the instrument, Riley composed The Cusp of Magic, a work in six movements that included Wu Man on pipa and vocals. All five musicians also play a variety of percussion instruments and toys. The premiere was presented by Cal Performances at Hertz Hall on the University of California, Berkeley campus, and was recorded and released on Nonesuch in 2008.Cal Performances. "Kronos Quartet Gives the Premiere of Terry Riley's The Cusp of Magic." April 12, 2005. Accessed July 25, 2014. http://calperformances.org/learn/news_features/press/pdf/04.05/KronosQuartetPR.pdf Wu Man's most recent project with the Quartet is a multimedia work entitled A Chinese Home, co-conceived by Wu Man, Harrington, and Chinese theater director . The work, which received its premiere at Carnegie's Zankel Hall in 2009, depicts a broad stretch of Chinese history, from the through the Chinese Communist Revolution to present day.

Wu Man continues to perform regularly with Kronos and was a featured guest artist in the Quartet's 40th Anniversary concerts in the 2013-14 season at the International Festival of Arts & Ideas, Cal Performances, Center for the Art of Performance at , and Carnegie Hall.Kronos Quartet. "Kronos at 40: A Season of Celebration." June 20, 2013. Accessed July 29, 2014. http://kronosquartet.org/news/article/kronos-at-40-a-season-of-celebration She appears on five albums with the Quartet, including Early Music, in which she plays 's Lachrymæ Antiquæ on the ruan; You've Stolen My Heart, a collection of Bollywood songs by Rahul Dev Burman; and A Thousand Thoughts, the Quartet's 40th anniversary compilation album.

Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Project
Wu Man is a founding member of 's Silk Road Project, a non-profit organization established in 1998 to foster cross-cultural communication through musical performance and education. Two years after its inception, the Project hosted a workshop at the Tanglewood Music Center that evolved into the Silk Road Ensemble, an eclectic group of musicians representing countries along the .Silk Road Project. "Silk Road Ensemble." Accessed July 29, 2014. http://www.silkroadproject.org/case-ensemble Wu Man has performed regularly with the Ensemble since its inception in 2000, recording five albums and touring internationally.

In the 2006-07 season, the Silk Road Project partnered with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for a yearlong celebration called Silk Road Chicago, culminating in the 2008 album release Traditions and Transformations: Sounds of Silk Road Chicago. Wu Man appears on this album as a soloist, performing 's Pipa Concerto with the CSO and conductor Miguel Harth-Bedoya.

Wu Man has also performed multiple times with Yo-Yo Ma outside of the Silk Road Ensemble. In 1999, Wu Man and Ma performed at the , premiering 's Three Songs for Pipa and Violoncello. That same year, Ma was awarded the Glenn Gould Prize and selected Wu Man as the Glenn Gould Protégé.Glenn Gould Foundation. http://glenngould.ca/protege-prize/ They performed together again in 2003, premiering Sheng’s The Song and Dance of Tears alongside pianist , with conducting the New York Philharmonic.

Miscellaneous cross-cultural collaborations
In 2005, Wu Man and composer Chen Yi co-wrote a multimedia work titled Ancient Dances, commissioned by the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Taking its inspiration from the poetry of , the multimedia work features video art by Kathleen Owen that incorporates Chinese calligraphy and by Wu Man's father. In performances of the work, Wu Man and percussionist Robert Schulz played in front of two vertical screens that displayed Owen's art. The project forms the first installment in what Wu Man refers to as her larger "Return to the East" project, which includes many of the projects discussed below, as well as her documentary Discovering a Musical Heartland.Theodore Presser Company. "Chen Yi." Accessed August 8, 2014. Later in 2005, she recorded the album Wu Man and Friends with Lee Knight (, Appalachian dulcimer, , vocals), (, , vocals), and (, , vocals), which was released on the Traditional Crossroads label in 2006. The album contains the music of Chinese, Appalachian, Ukrainian, and Ugandan folk traditions, arranged to combine these plucked instruments from around the world.Traditional Crossroads. "Wu Man and Friends." Accessed July 18, 2014. http://www.traditionalcrossroads.com/shop/article_CD%25204329/Wu-Man-and-Friends.html Since the album release, Wu Man, Knight, Kytasty, and Makubuya have performed their arrangements in concerts around the U.S., including Carnegie's in 2006 and the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival in 2010.Carnegie Hall. "2005-2006 Annual Report." Accessed August 25, 2014. Page 19. http://www.carnegiehall.org/pdf/0506_CH_Annual_Report.pdf

In 2010, Wu Man traveled to Taiwan to study the music of Taiwanese aborigines, leading to a series of concerts in 2012 titled "Wu Man and Aboriginal Friends from Taiwan (吳蠻與原住民朋友)". In these concerts, Wu Man was joined onstage by musicians of the , , and tribes, performing arrangements of traditional and ritual songs with pipa accompaniment. Performances took place at the Taiwan International Festival of Arts at the National Theater and Concert Hall, Taipei, and at the New Vision Arts Festival in Hong Kong.New Vision Arts Festival. "Wu Man and Aboriginal Friends from Taiwan." Accessed August 8, 2014. http://www.newvisionfestival.gov.hk/2012/eng/music_wuman.php

With funds from the Aga Khan Music Initiative in Central Asia, Wu Man collaborated with Central Asian musicians to produce the CD/DVD Borderlands: Wu Man and Master Musicians from the Silk Route, released on Smithsonian Folkways in 2012. The album/documentary forms the tenth and final installment in the record label's Music of Central Asia series. The music focuses heavily on the tradition, a system of 12 modes that draws loosely from . She is joined on the album by Abduvali Abdurashidov on sato; Sirojiddin Juraev on ; Hua'er vocalist Ma Ersa; Abdulla Majnun on diltar (his own invention, combining the plucked and bowed into a single double-necked instrument), dutar, tanbur, and vocals; Hesenjan Tursun on satar and vocals; Sanubar Tursun on dutar and vocals; and Yasin Yaqup on .Rachel Harris. Liner notes to Borderlands: Wu Man and Master Musicians from the Silk Route. Wu Man et al. Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. SFW CD 40529. CD. 2011.

In 2013, Wu Man received an Individual Artist Fellowship from San Diego Foundation's Creative Catalyst Fund to pursue a project titled "When China Meets Latin America", collaborating with quartet Son de San Diego. In their initial rehearsals, Wu Man and Son de San Diego explored the commonalities in Chinese and Latin American folk traditions, both of which, Son de San Diego's Eduardo Garcia Acosta notes, have "love songs, silvery dawns, birdsongs, broken hearts, tales of sailing, and the sheer joy of dancing."Eduardo Garcia Acosta. "The Magic Sound of Strings." Carlsbad Music Festival. March 18, 2014. Accessed August 8, 2014. http://carlsbadmusicfestival.org/wuman/the-magic-sound-of-strings-by-eduardo-garcia-acosta/ Following these rehearsals, the ad hoc quintet has performed arrangements of Chinese and Latin American folk music in workshops and concerts presented by the Carlsbad Music Festival.Carlsbad Music Festival. "Wu Man." Accessed August 8, 2014. http://carlsbadmusicfestival.org/wuman/

Wu Man performed in several concerts at the 2023 Ojai Music Festival, including two performances of "Ghost Opera".

Personal life
Wu Man lives with her husband, Peng Wang, in Carlsbad, , where they moved in 2004 after her husband accepted a job there. She and her husband became naturalized U.S. citizens in 2000, two years after the birth of their son.

Discography
Solo or as leader

  • 1991 — The Over Lord Removed Off His Armour (China Record Corporation)WorldCat. "Ba wang xie jia : wu man pi pa du zou - The overlord removed off his armour: pipa solo by Wu Man." Accessed July 21, 2014. http://www.worldcat.org/title/ba-wang-xie-jia-wu-man-pi-pa-du-zou-the-overlord-removed-off-his-armour-pipa-solo-by-wu-man/oclc/422641240
  • 1993 — Chinese Music for the Pipa ()
  • 1996 — Chinese Traditional and Contemporary Music (Nimbus)
  • 2000 — Chinese Traditional & Contemporary Music for Pipa & Ensemble (Nimbus)
  • 2000 — : Spring Snowfall (Also Productions)
  • 2003 — Pipa: From a Distance ()
  • 2005 — Wu Man and Friends (Traditional Crossroads)
  • 2010 — Immeasurable Light (Traditional Crossroads)Traditional Crossroads. "Immesurable sic Light." Accessed July 18, 2014. http://www.traditionalcrossroads.com/shop/article_CD%25204343/Wu-Man---Immesurable-Light.html
  • 2012 — Music of Central Asia, Vol. 10: Borderlands: Wu Man and Master Musicians from the Silk Route (Smithsonian Folkways)
  • 2013 — Elegant Pipa Classics (Wind Music)Wind Music. "Elegant Pipa Classics." Accessed July 18, 2014. http://www.windmusic.com.tw/en/pro_detail.asp?PDT_NO=TCD-1036
  • 2014 — Wu Man, , and : Our World in Song: An Odyssey of Musical Treasures (Wind Music)

Orchestral

  • 2004 — : Concerto for Pipa with String Orchestra, on Lou Harrison: For Strings
    with Rebecca Miller and The New Professionals Orchestra ()Mode Records. "Lou Harrison: For Strings." Accessed July 18, 2014. http://www.moderecords.com/catalog/140harrison.html
  • 2004 — : Pipa Concerto, on Xiaogang Ye: The Last Paradise / Winter / Pipa Concerto / Horizon
    with Günther Herbig and Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Saarbrücken ()
  • 2008 — : Pipa Concerto, on Tan Dun: Pipa Concerto / Hayashi: Viola Concerto / Takemitsu: Nostalghia
    with and Moscow Soloists (ONYX)ONYX. "Moscow Soloists & Yuri Bashmet - Tan Dun/Takemitsu etc." Accessed July 18, 2014. http://www.onyxclassics.com/cddetail.php?CatalogueNumber=ONYX4027
  • 2008 — Lou Harrison: Pipa Concerto, on Traditions and Transformations: Sounds of Silk Road Chicago
    with Miguel Harth-Bedoya and Chicago Symphony Orchestra ()

with

  • 1997 — ()
  • 1997 — Early Music (Nonesuch)
  • 2005 — You've Stolen My Heart (Nonesuch)
  • 2008 — (Nonesuch)
  • 2014 — Kronos Quartet: A Thousand Thoughts (Nonesuch)

with Aga Khan Master Musicians

  • 2023 — Aga Khan Master Musicians: Nowruz (Smithsonian Folkways / SAMAA)

with Silk Road Ensemble

  • 2002 — The Silk Road Ensemble with : Silk Road Journeys: When Strangers Meet (Sony Classical)
  • 2005 — The Silk Road Ensemble with Yo-Yo Ma: Silk Road Journeys: Beyond the Horizon (Sony Classical)
  • 2007 — The Silk Road Ensemble with Yo-Yo Ma: New Impossibilities (Sony Classical)
  • 2009 — Silk Road Ensemble: Off the Map ()
  • 2013 — The Silk Road Ensemble with Yo-Yo Ma: A Playlist without Borders (CD) / Live from Tanglewood (DVD) (Sony Classical)

with

  • 2005 — Philip Glass Ensemble: Orion (Orange Mountain Music)Glass. "Recordings: Orion." Accessed July 18, 2014. http://www.philipglass.com/music/recordings/orion.php
  • 2007 — Suite from The Sound of a Voice, on Theater Music, Vol. 1 (Orange Mountain Music)

with Bang on a Can

with Liu Sola. "Liu Sola's discography." Accessed July 18, 2014. http://liusolastudio.com/eng/MusDisc.html

  • 1994 — Sola: Blues in the East (Axiom, 1994)
  • 1995 — Sola & Wu Man: China Collage (, 1995)
  • 1999 — Sola & Friends (Also Productions, 1999)

with

  • Carry the Day (Columbia, 1995)
Film soundtracks

  • 1993 — The Wedding Banquet ()
  • 1994 — Eat Drink Man Woman (Rock)Maria Banks. "Wu Man/The Circle Magazine Interview." Circle Magazine. Accessed July 21, 2014. http://circlemag.org/Files/2012v1-wuman.pdf

Misc. duo

  • 1997 — with , guitar: Music for the Motherless Child (Water Lily Acoustics)Water Lily Acoustics. "Released." Accessed July 18, 2014. http://waterlilyacoustics.com/released.htm
  • 2001 — with Yoshio Kurahashi, : Aki No Yugure (Autumn Dusk) (Sparkling Beatnik)Yoshio Kurahashi. "Recordings." Accessed July 18, 2014. http://www.mujuan.us/recordings.html
  • 2003 — with , bass: Posture of Reality (Asian Improv)Tatsu Aoki. "Posture of Reality." Accessed July 18, 2014. http://www.tatsuaoki.com/r_pos.html

Misc. ensemble

Appearances on anthologies & compilations

  • 1992 — An Anthology of Chinese Traditional and Folk Music, Vol. 4: A Collection of Music Played on the Pipa (China Record Corporation)China Music Group. "Track Detail: Chen Sui." Accessed July 21, 2014. http://www.chinamusicgroup.com/track_details.php?track_id=18059
  • 1994 — World Music Sampler, Volume 2 (Nimbus)
  • 1995 — A Taste of Asia (Nimbus)
  • 1997 — Treasurable Collection of Traditional Chinese Music: PipaChina Music Group. "Track Detail: The General's Order." Accessed July 21, 2014. http://www.chinamusicgroup.com/track_details.php?track_id=9
  • 1998 — China: Time to Listen (Ellipsis Arts)
  • 2001 — Masterpieces: Pipa (China Record Corporation)China Music Group. "Track Detail: The General's Order." Accessed July 21, 2014. http://www.chinamusicgroup.com/track_details.php?track_id=2263
  • 2002 — The Silk Road: A Musical Caravan (Smithsonian Folkways)
  • 2002 — Chinese Music Classics of the 20th Century: Pipa I (China Record Corporation)China Music Group. "Track Detail: The General's Order." Accessed July 21, 2014. http://www.chinamusicgroup.com/track_details.php?track_id=3805
  • 2004 — The Classics of CRC Instrumental Music, Vol. 2 (China Record Corporation)China Music Group. "Track Detail: Laying an Ambush on All Sides." Accessed July 21, 2014. http://www.chinamusicgroup.com/track_details.php?track_id=13182

Awards and honors
  • 1989 — Chinese National Traditional Music Performance Prize CCoM. "Award Information 1951-1989." Accessed July 21, 2014. http://www.ccom.edu.cn/aboutccom/xygk/xycj/hjxx/201010/t20101028_16885.html
  • 1998 — Bunting Fellowship
  • 1999 — The City of Toronto Glenn Gould Protégé Prize
  • 2008 — United States Artists Fellowship
  • 2006 — Nominated, : Best Contemporary World Music Album (for You've Stolen My Heart with )
  • 2009 — Nominated, Grammy Awards: Best Instrumental Soloist Performance with Orchestra (for 's Pipa Concerto with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra)
  • 2009 — Nominated, Grammy Awards: Best Small Ensemble Performance (for 's Pipa Concerto with and the Moscow Soloists)
  • 2011 — Nominated, Grammy Awards: Best Classical Crossover Album (for Off the Map with the Silk Road Ensemble)Los Angeles Times. "Grammy Awards 2011: Winners and nominees for 53rd Grammy Awards." Accessed July 25, 2014. http://www.latimes.com/la-et-env-grammys-nominees-2010-list-htmlstory.html
  • 2013 — Musical America Instrumentalist of the Year
  • 2013 — Nominated, Independent Music Awards: Best World Traditional Song (for "Shadiana" on Borderlands) Independent Music Awards. "Song Nominees: 12th Annual Independent Music Awards - World Traditional." Accessed July 25, 2014. http://www.independentmusicawards.com/imanominee/12th/song/world-traditional
  • 2013 — Nominated, Independent Music Awards: Best Long Form Video (for Borderlands) IMA. "Video Nominees: 12th Annual Independent Music Awards - Long Form." Accessed July 25, 2014. http://www.independentmusicawards.com/imanominee/12th/Video/Long-Form
  • 2014 — Nominated, Independent Music Awards: Best World Traditional Album (for Elegant Pipa Classics) IMA. "Album Nominees: 12th Annual Independent Music Awards - World Traditional." Accessed July 25, 2014. http://www.independentmusicawards.com/imanominee/13th/Album/World-Traditional
  • 2014 — Nominated, Golden Melody Awards: Best Traditional Album (for Elegant Pipa Classics) http://news.rti.org.tw/news/detail/?recordId=118393
  • 2014 — Nominated, Grammy Awards: Best World Music Album (for Our World in Song with Daniel Ho and Luis Conte)Grammy.com Accessed February 24, 2015 http://www.grammy.com/NOMINEES?genre=34
  • 2023 — National Heritage Fellowship awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts, which is the United States government's highest honor in the folk and traditional arts

See also

External links

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