Lucy Luan
Lucy Luan is a Guzheng (the Chinese 21 stringed zither) player, an improviser, and a traditional Chinese poetry music explorer. She holds a master's degree in Music Education from Arizona State University in the United States of America.
Since 4 years old, her life and this traditional Chinese instrument have been intertwined. After she graduated Bachelor's degree in Musicology she decided to pursue her music dream abroad, since then she discovered her passion for improvising and has been collaborating with musicians from all kinds of different genres for decades. The range of her collaborators are from Denmark Jazz singers such as Katherine Leagar, Katrine Madison to mantra singer and songwriter Xu Qingyuan from Taiwan; from jazz trios like Nicolaj Hess and his band (Danmark) to soloists like the renowned hand pan Liron Man (Israel) and Daniel Waples (the UK). She also has done live improvs for live shows such as the Norwegian comic writer Fredrick’s live movie with Stephan Meidell(Norway). She has also been interviewed by CGTN, CRI nationally and globally wise.
In October 2021, Ms. Luan was featured as a guest on The Bridge Live Concert produced by CCTV and CGTN. She collaborated with Indian Mridangam musician Sridhar Parthasarathy with her self-composed Guzheng piece Xun (Searching), and one of her arrangements Drunken Immortal with Kanjara played by He Kairan.
In 2020, She has released her solo album “Poems of the Guzheng” which is a collection of her own musical compositions; self-written poetry, and traditional pieces with creative modern arrangements. She plays, arranges, composes, and sings in this album which shows her passion for music and Chinese literature. The digital release is on bandcamp.com internationally and the Chang Pian Ku app in China.
In 2019, Ms. Luan had followed her passion for crossing cultures music expression and founded the band “Da Tong”, which is a fusion band of traditional and modern music, with Chinese, European and African instruments. They appeared on national TV and received a favorable reception.
While looking for the position of the ancient Chinese music instrument in the modern music world, she has also composed many pieces based on traditional Chinese poetry and aesthetics. In 2018 she started this project called “Searching-music and poetry” which is a 90 minutes concert focusing on traditional Chinese culture. Later in 2019, this show started to combine with other traditional Chinese arts such as Peking opera, dancing, and painting, etc. It has performed in venues like Tianqiao Arts center, Langyuan theater, and was invited to perform for the 21st China Shanghai International Arts Festival in Shanghai Theatre Academy in October.
Ms. Luan’s interest in improvisation has attracted her many original creations. In 2013, she has published a studio album of improv music called “Jing Jie” with guitar, flute, and percussion. She also has recorded two live experimental albums “Listening to the Wild” in Beijing Hanshiqiao Wetland. Her Guzheng playing can be found in many TV shows and pop music.
Ms. Luan was born in the ancient city of Yangzhou which now has been named the city of Guzheng, she studied with the late Guzheng educator Zhang Gong when she was four years old. She also studied with professor Wang Xiaoping and went to continue her Guzheng passion with professor Yu QIanqian at Nanjing Normal University. In 2005, she won the Golden Medal of The Oriental Instrumental Competition.
Apart from being a musician, she had been a bilingual radio presenter on China Radio International EZFM and hosted many events. She is also a diligent writer and published her first book in 2016.
