Today we’d like to introduce you to Bei Bei He.
Bei Bei, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I started to play the Guzheng, a 21-stringed Chinese instrument, at 7 years old when I was living in Sichuan, China. That region is famous for its spicy food, and is the home of Panda bears. In fact, there is a Panda in The National Zoo in Washington D.C. named Bei Bei, same spelling as me! I started my education as soon as I started playing, learning from many great teachers who were masters of this beautiful and ancient instrument. Instead of going to a normal middle and high school I was admitted to Central University of Nationalities in Beijing to study Guzheng performance. I was on my path to become a professional musician, a great one. For college I studied at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, where I started to explore jazz and rock music on my instrument.
In 2003, I came to Los Angeles to study music recording, but I didn’t pursue a career as a recording engineer after graduation. Instead, I kept on pursuing what I was best at – being a musician and performer. Around this time, I started to compose my own music, music coming from my traditional Chinese roots but with western context and expressions in my own style. Since moving to Los Angeles, I have met many great musicians and have collaborated with them. I have recorded music with composers such as Neal Acree, Sam Cardon, and Bear McCreary for use in their projects (video games, iMax movie and TV show original scores). I released two world-fusion albums “Into the Wind” (2010) and “Year of The Funky” (2017) with the prolific producer/multi-instrumentalist Shawn Lee. The music on these albums can be heard on radio stations such as KCRW, NPR, BBC, and many more. The hit video game “Sleeping Dogs” (PlayStation 3 &4, Xbox 360, etc) also included our music in its in-game radio station.
Over the past 14 years, I played many stages around Los Angeles and Orange County both as a solo performer and leader of Vivid China Ensemble playing traditional music, as well as the leader of Bei Bei Ensemble, a world-fusion band. Naming a few memorable performances that I’ve had in LA and the OC: Union Station, South Coast Plaza, Bowers Museum, The Grove, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, UCLA, and the Alex Theater. One of my bigger accomplishments was in May 2015, when I was featured as one of “The Most Fascinating People of Los Angeles” by LA Weekly magazine. I was so surprised to see myself on the cover of the May 7th issue – “People’s Issue”! Besides being a performing musician, I also teach Guzheng and founded Lotus Bud Guzheng Academy in 2006. I have taught hundreds of students of all ages since, and many of them are performing locally at cultural events. I am so grateful to be able to pursue what I love and I am excited to take on new opportunities and adventures that life brings me.
Has it been a smooth road?
My biggest challenge is to balance my life between being a musician and teacher. My students require a lot of my time and energy to help them to learn and improve. I myself also need time to practice, rehearse, compose and perform.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I play concerts and provide musical entertainment for various events. I am a studio musician and instructor.
I perform as a soloist. I also have a traditional Chinese musical instrument trio called Vivid China Ensemble.
For contemporary fusion music, I play with guitarist Jon Monter and I also have a band called Bei Bei Ensemble. I am known for being a virtuoso performer as well as an innovator that bridges the East and West, the old and new.
I am proud to be able to present authentic Chinese traditional music to a world audience and at the same time showing that I am capable of doing so much more outside of its Chinese heritage. I think that my originality and virtuosity set me apart from others.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
More and more people will become interested in the Guzheng. More people would be exposed to it, and more people would appreciate it, learn it, and wanting to hear it and watch it being performed.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.beibeizheng.com
- Email: info@beibeizheng.com
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/beibeimusic
- Other: http://www.youtube.com/beibeizheng
Image Credit:
David Young-Wolff
Metro Art Los Angeles
Sino US Performing Arts Organization
Zijun Xiao
Yan Liang
Xixi Chen
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