Jing Xian
Composer
Jing Xian became a professional pipa (Chinese lute) player at the remarkable young age of 15. During her four years at the China Conservatory, she pursued studies in composition, music literature, and ethnomusicology. Many musical pieces written by her have won composition prizes. Later, Jing Xian was awarded a scholarship to Oxford University to pursue a master’s and a doctorate in ethnomusicology. She has also studied computer-based composition and music technology at Britain’s Reading University.
Junyi Tan
Composer
Junyi Tan studied composing at the prestigious Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing and formerly served as a pianist and accordionist with China Opera and Dance Theater. An active member of the community in his new home of the U.S., he held various roles in the Bay Area, including performing and musical directing with San Francisco State University’s School of Theater and Dance, directing the San Francisco Silicon Valley Choir, and as a member of the San Pablo City Arts Committee.
Yungchia Chen
Choreographer
Yungchia Chen is currently an instructor at Fei Tian Academy of the Arts in New York, and was formerly a lecturer in dance at Central University for Nationalities in Beijing. Before coming to the United States, he was a council member of the Dance Association of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Trained in Chinese classical and folk dance, along with ballet, he won first place in New Tang Dynasty Television’s 2007 International Classical Chinese Dance Competition, the International Cultural Exchange Award (top honor) and the Silver Medal in choreography at Japan’s Kitakyushu International Dance Competition, as well as both the Silver Medal (performance) and the Gardener Award (pedagogy) in China’s National Peach and Plum Cup Dance Competition.
Michelle Ren
Choreographer
Michelle Ren began training in artistic gymnastics at age 6. At China’s National Artistic Gymnastics Competition she took fourth place, and at Liaoning province’s Peach and Plum Cup Dance Competition she took first place in her division (youth). She was later second runner-up in the national Popular Culture Award Competition of China. In 2007, she won first place in the adult female division of New Tang Dynasty Television’s International Classical Chinese Dance Competition.
