Wolfgang David, Violinist - Friends

Guo Gan

GUO Gan (Yi-zhen is his stage name) was born in Shenyang, an industrial city in northern China. He comes from a family of musicians and was attracted to the erhu, a traditional Chinese instrument, very early on. His first lessons were with his father, GUO Junming, a famous erhu soloist, and he began to play in public at four years of age. GUO GAN was fascinated by Western instruments and rounded out his studies by taking up the violin, the cello and the piano while in secondary school (1981 - 1987). When he was sixteen, he accompanied his father on tour, playing more than 100 concerts in a presentation entitled "Duo for the two-stringed vielle".

In 1987 he entered the Shenyang Music Conservatory and in 1991 won a prize with honours for his work on the erhu. His thesis subject was: erhu techniques borrowed from the violin. At the same time he studied Chinese and Western percussion instruments and gave a jazz concert for percussion and piano, an unprecedented event at the conservatory.

From 1991 to 1994, GUO Gan performed, often in recital with his erhu and percussion groups, and played for the dance and theater company of Liaoning Province. In 1992, he won first prize in the traditional-music competition of this province. In 1995, he was named professor of erhu and percussion at the Conservatory of Liaoning Province. The same year, he was one of the founders of a jazz group, GYQ, which is well known in China.

In 2001, GUO Gan decided to come to Paris to enlarge his musical experience and enrolled in the Ecole Nationale de Musique where he continued his training in jazz percussion. and is working on jazz percussion with Vives Querol Marc. He also continues teaching the erhu and giving concerts; he is regularly invited to play in festivals and is often interviewed, especially on radio, to make the charms of the erhu better known.

In 2002, GUO Gan was invited by Gabriel YARED to play in a recording of the music for the film "L'Idole" and was soloist in the opening ceremony of the 55th Cannes Festival. The same year he formed one of the first Asian jazz bands in Paris - DRAGON JAZZ - and the FAN YIN TRIO which won second prize in the Asian music competition in Belgium.

In 2003, GUO Gan made several recordings with the pianist Colette MERKLEN and did a concert tour with Pascal FAULIOT in France and other European countries to favourable criticism. Subsequently, he was invited to play at UNESCO and with the HUANG HE GROUP and CHANG JIANG GROUP.

In 2004, he appeared with the contemporary dance group GANG PENG in DIALOGUES which was chosen for the programme of "The Year of France in China" and was invited to play the erhu and the Chinese drum for "The Year of China in France".

In 2005, GUO GAN was invited by the composer Yvan CASSAR to appear as the erhu soloist in the production of the symphonic poem "l'Encre de Chine" with the Orchestra of the Paris Opera at the Palais des Congrès in Paris. He was also invited by the Chinese filmmaker ZHAN YIMOU to play in concerts given to promote the film "Le secret des poignards volants" and by the Prince of Morocco to give a concert for percussion and erhu. The same year, he published a method for learning to play the erhu.

In 2006, GUO GAN was invited by the violinist Didier LOCKWOOD to play in a concert, "Violons Croisés". He also played in the ensemble "XVIII-21 Music des Lumières" in France and Spain. He formed a quartet, "Shanghai-Paris-Istanbul" and made several recordings. He gave a concert of traditional music at the Café Satellite and played with the Mathias DUPLESSY Trio. With his wife, LIU LONG, he gives concerts of piano and erhu in Paris.

In 2007, GUO GAN was invited by the violinist Didier LOCKWOOD to play in a concert, “Passport for one Violons”. He also played in the Paris with his father Guo Jun ming for 3 concert. GUO Gan was invited by the composer Javier Navarrete and realisateur Jean-Jacques Annaud to play in a recording of the music for the film "Sa Majesté MINOR". In May he was invited by the composer Armand Amar and realisateur Gilles de Maistre to play in a recording of the music for the film "LE PEMIER CRI". In November he toured Belgium together with Khoomei Okna Tsahan Zam. He was invited by RAPHEL to record an album. GUO GAN also performed the Bach Double Concerto with the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Richard Boudarham for "Melody for Peace" at the UNESCO Hall in Paris and with the St. Luke's Symphony Orchestra at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall in New York.

In 2008, GUO GAN was invited by the pianist Lang Lang to play in two concerts at the Chicago Symphony Hall.

In 2009 Guo Gan was invited by the pianist Lang Lang to play in two concerts at Carnegie Hall New York (Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall) and at the Orange County Performing Arts Center Los Angeles (Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall)

www.guogan.fr