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	Jiebing Chen Playing the traditional Chinese erhu in a modern, worldwide setting

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Chinese: 陳潔冰

Jiebing Chen is perhaps the most famous player in the world of the erhu, a two-stringed Chinese instrument originally from the seventh century. As a musician, she coaxes sublimely beautiful music from her erhu. As an international world music artist, she adds a distinctly Chinese color to the many ensembles she has played with.

Child prodigy

Born in Shanghai, Jiebing Chen began playing the erhu at the tender age of six, and soon was recognized as a prodigy. This led to her joining China's Navy Orchestra when only nine years old. She continued studying music, and graduated with honors from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music in 1982.

Making her mark

She began making her mark with a wider audience by playing a series of concerts and releasing major-label albums in China. During the mid 1980's, Chen toured internationally as part of a cultural exchange program called "Marvelous Strings". Soon after this, she moved to Buffalo, New York to attend SUNY.

Chen loved the freedom and multiculturalism she experienced in America, and there began to branch out musically in earnest. She experimented by adding her erhu to styles as disparate as jazz and Indian classical music.

Further exploration

Having had a taste of new, international musical exploration, as well as continuing to strengthen her reputation in her native China, Chen again changed direction and played with musicians such as the Chinese-American Jon Jang's jazz sextet and the legendary Billy Taylor Trio.

Grammy nomination

In 1996, Chen recorded Tabula Rasa, a collaboration with American banjo player Bela Fleck and Indian visionary Vishwa Bhatt. A masterpiece of musicianship, the album was nominated for the Best World Music Album Grammy that year. She has since toured and recorded, separately, with her Tabula Rasa partners.

The future

Arguably the world's premier erhu talent, Jiebing Chen has earned universal admiration from world music audiences. Her music is exciting, lovely and progressive. She continues to expand and experiment, and the future should bring yet more interesting music from her and her new collaborations.