Painting the Seasons - A Pipa Solo Concert

Internationally renowned and Toronto-based Pipa artist Wen Zhao, performs on the ancient Chinese instrument, the Pipa, a plucked instrument similar to the lute, with over 2,000 years of history, introduced through the ancient Silk Road from Central Asia and becoming one of the most significant solo instruments in musical history. 

This solo concert celebrates China's rich musical legacy with a traditional and folk music repertoire spanning across dynasties, painting a vivid picture of our natural landscape through the four seasons and classical poetry songs. Wen will also talk about some traditional Chinese Festivals, such as the Lunar New Year and Dragon Boat festivals.

Wen Zhao is an acclaimed pipa virtuoso, “a sensitive and lyrical performer”. Born in Beijing, she began to learn the Pipa at the age of seven, having studied under the renowned pipa master Wang Fan Di at the China Conservatory of Music.

Wen is especially honoured to be one of the featured musicians for the CBC award-winning documentary film The Four Seasons Mosaic. The Toronto Star described her as “a virtuoso player who displayed her dexterity and percussive skills on the pipa,” while a reviewer in WholeNote magazine described her as “the Jimi Hendrix of the pipa."

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