Born and raised in Beijing, Wu Fei is a composer, vocalist and guzheng (Chinese zither) performer. She spent her formative years at the China Conservatory of Music before coming to the US in 2000.
She holds a M.A. in Composition from Mills College and is a grant recipient of “Meet the Composer”. While at Mills, she began to diversify her sound and experiment widely, working with musicians like John Zorn, Fred Frith, Carla Kilhstedt, Evan Parker, Béla Fleck, Pauline Oliveros, Cecil Taylor, and Billy Martin.
Wu Fei’s compositions for choir, string quartet, chamber ensemble, Balinese gamelan, orchestra, film, and modern dance exhibit her remarkable skill and profound musical understanding. Her commissions include a composition for Percussions Claviers de Lyon that premiered in the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing.
She has also appeared as a guest on Fred Frith’s Eye to Ear II (2004, Tzadik) and The Happy End Problem (2006, ReR). Wu Fei has performed in cities around the world, including Beijing, Berlin, Rome, Venice, Milano, Dublin, Oslo, Rotterdam, New York and San Francisco Bay Area.
Her debut album, A Distant Youth (2007, Forrest Hill), features both Frith and violinist Carla Kihlstedt. In fall 2008, her second album Yuan was released on Tzadik Records. In 2009, after performing in various prestigious music festivals in Norway, Netherlands, and Belgium, Wu Fei met with experimental jazz legend Evan Parker in New York City and presented a duo concert at The Stone. Later in that year, a DVD entitled “Shan Qi” was released (Ozella Music), filmed in the Italian Alps and highlighting the young artist and several outstanding European musicians, including Guo Yue, Giovanni Amighetti (producer), Guido Ponzini, and Helge A. Norbakken.
In 2010, Wu Fei will be giving performances and lectures in the U.S., Europe, Asia and Africa.
Press quotes:
“Soulful, lyrical and powerful music from this remarkable young composer/performer from Beijing!” – John Zorn, describing Wu Fei’s latest album “Yuan”.
“Fei’s playing on the guzheng is breathtaking.” -Fred Frith
“My soul undergoes a meltdown when Wu Fei’s delicate guzheng figures remind us of the frailty of purpose amidst the often overwhelming forces of life.” – Paris Transatlantic Magazine
“…Wu Fei, a Chinese guzheng player who shocked the sold-out crowd with her slashing, skittering mastery of the zitherlike instrument…” – San Francisco Chronicle
“Composer Wu Fei , as evidenced by the five compositions on Yuan, occupies a world that straddles traditional Chinese music and more contemporary styles of writing and playing.” – All About Jazz New York
” In Wu’s work evinces respect for tradition, an interest in what instruments can do, a strong sense of architecture, and good old fashioned showmanship. ” – AllMusic.com
Awards:
- DVD “Shan Qi” nominated for Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik (Award of the German Record Critique), 2009.
- Composer Fellowship, the Sally & Don Lucas Artist Residency by Montalvo Arts Center, 2009
- “Yuan” Best Album of The Week – Alarm Magazine 11/25/2008
- Best World Music Artist 2008 – Westword
- Debut record “A Distant Youth” on World Music Chart Europe 2008
中文简历：
吴非: 青年作曲家，原籍北京。
穿梭于北京-纽约-欧洲三点一线的职业作曲/原创音乐人/古筝即兴弹唱。六岁时开始学习古筝演奏, 九岁即登台演出，先后师从李婉芬和史兆元教授。 赴美留学之前, 吴非在中国音乐学院本科作曲系(及附中理论作曲学科)，师从高为杰与杨青教授。
2000年, 吴非赴美。先后在北方德州大学音乐学院和Mills College学习作曲与即兴演奏。并于2004年, 从 Mills College 获得了音乐艺术作曲硕士学位。自赴美后至今，吴非曾与多位先锋派大师及代表人物切磋与合作, 他们中有John Zorn (萨克斯), Fred Frith（吉他), Evan Parker (萨克斯），Erik Friedlander (大提琴), Elliott Sharp (吉他), Billy Martin (打击乐), Trevor Dunn (贝司), Cecil Taylor（爵士钢琴), 日本筝大师沢井一恵等。
至今为止, 不仅吴非的作品已在北京, 伦敦, 纽约, 柏林, 米兰, 罗马，旧金山, 威尼斯，都柏林, 奥斯陆, 布鲁塞尔等国际大都市公演; 而且还带着她的的原创古筝独奏和即兴音乐多次在北美和欧洲的国际性音乐节上演出, 并于2007年, 登上了北京迷笛音乐节的舞台。同年秋季, 她的首张个人古筝弹唱原创专辑《A Distant Youth》由意大利Arvmusic 制作 Forrest Hill 公司出版, 向全球作唱片发行。此唱片还邀请了先锋派吉他大师 Fred Frith (英), 小提琴家 Carla Kihlstedt (美), 和打击乐家 Helge A. Norbakken (挪威)一齐录音献艺。此唱片还登上了2008欧洲世界音乐(专家评审团)唱片年度排行榜。这一年, 吴非还应法国著名的里昂打击乐团 Percussions Claviers de Lyon约稿, 北京国际合唱节的赞助, 于2007年初完成了中西室内乐作品《社火》, 并于同年四月在北京中山音乐堂首演。
吴非与包含欧洲数位音乐家在阿尔卑斯山拍摄的音乐DVD《山气》(Arvmusic制作) 于2009年10月在全球发行, 由德国Ozella唱片公司出版，并获德国专家唱片奖 Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik 2009年度提名。
2008 年, 吴非的古筝即兴弹唱音乐迅速席卷了曼哈顿与布鲁克林极赋国际声望的现代音乐演出场所, 其中有 The Stone, Barbès, Issue Project Room, Roulette 等。纽约先锋音乐的代表人物John Zorn (著名萨克斯演奏家/作曲家）邀请吴非作为The Stone十月演出的艺术监督(curator)，演出并策划。11月, 吴非在Tzadik唱片公司发行了她的室内乐作品专辑《Yuan-缘》，并当选芝加哥Alarm杂志当月“最佳唱片”。
2009－2010年，吴非抵赴比利时，参加“中欧音乐节－中国新音乐“的演出，录音。除独奏音乐会外，并与比利时几位杰出的Flemish音乐家同台合作，演绎中比现代音响, 并参加了在上海世博会欧洲广场举行的大型中欧音乐会。
2011年春，授国际著名时装设计师Christophe Lemaire 的邀请，吴非第一次与时装秀合作，带着她的原创弹唱音乐参加了巴黎时装周爱马仕(Hermes)2011秋冬时装秀的现场演出。此次演出也是爱马仕有史以来第一次邀请演奏家为其时装秀做现场演奏。
获奖:
- 获加利福尼亚Montalvo艺术中心颁发的Sally & Don Lucas作曲Fellowship奖, 2009-2011.
-《Yuan 缘》芝加哥Alarm杂志最佳唱片11/25/2008
- 丹佛Westword报2008年度最佳世界音乐艺术家
- 首张专辑《A Distant Youth》荣登2008年欧洲世界音乐唱片排行榜
