Silk Road with Wen Wei Dance

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Saturday, January 17th, 2015
7:30 PM to 10:00 PM

Silk Road is the collaboration of Qiu Xia He, Chinese pipa performer, composer & producer and Aandre Thibault, guitarist, multi-instrumentalist & vocalist

Born in China, QIU XIA HE (pronounced chu sha her) has had two notable careers in music: as a performer and teacher in China, and as a performer, composer, and teacher in Canada. As a little girl hoping to learn the violin, Qiu Xia was told she would instead study the pipa, a Chinese lute. Showing early talent, she toured the country with the popular Bao ji Shaanxi Music and Dance Troupe. Given the opportunity to settle in Canada, Qiu Xia learned fluent English, and delighted audiences across the country and around the world.

“My music has a definite cross-cultural bent,” she says. “It combines the traditional styles of the east, with new influences picked up in the west. I play

Chinese music on Chinese instruments, but with western performance techniques gained from jazz, folk, and Celtic music. And I also use the pipa to play western music. I love to play with musicians from other cultural backgrounds, creating an entirely new sound.”

ANDRE THIBAULT is a brilliant guitarist, whose fiery rhythms and stunning technique result from a unique blend of Flamenco and Moorish traditions coloured with jazz, classical, and world music.

Raised in Montreal, Andre began his guitar studies at an early age. His interest in world music led him to study bouzouki and oud, lutes of the Arabic world. He is also skillful on flutes and percussion. For Andre, “world music” is not just a phrase; besides North America, he has played all over the planet. He creates an instant rapport with his audiences through his love of music, his virtuosity, and his sense of humour.

WEN WEI WANG began dancing at an early age in China, where he was born and raised. He trained and danced professionally with the Langzhou Song and Dance Company. In 1991, he came to Canada and joined the Judith Marcuse Dance Company after which he danced with Ballet British Columbia for seven years. Since 2003, he has served as Artistic Director of Wen Wei Dance. Wen Wei is the recipient of many dance awards. In addition to his works for Wen Wei Dance, he has choreographed for other major dance companies and, most recently, Vancouver Opera’s production of Nixon in China.