Meet Yadong Guan – Renowned Pipa Virtuoso and Composer

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生于北京,管亚东是活跃于国际舞台的加拿大著名琵琶演奏家、作曲家,被西方观众誉为真正的音乐大使。作为首位任教于加拿大卡尔顿大学音乐学院的华裔音乐家,她在推动琵琶艺术走向西方主流舞台方面发挥了重要作用。

Yadong Guan - Pipa Virtuoso · Composer · EducatorHailing from Beijing, Yadong Guan is a true musical ambassador whomasterfully commands the Chinese pipa, offering audiences a truly exotic experience. Yadong Guan is an internationally active Canadian pipa virtuoso and composer. As the first Chinese musician appointed to the faculty of Music of the Carleton University in Ottawa Canada, she has played a significant role in bringing pipa music into the Western mainstream.

音乐创新与前瞻

她师从琵琶泰斗林石城,毕业于中央民族大学音乐学院,并在加拿大拉瓦尔大学获得现代音乐作曲硕士学位。她创立了多支融合中西的乐团,其中“管亚东三重奏”为加拿大第一支融合琵琶、吉他与大提琴的三重奏团体。她的演出被CBC、Bravo!、Radio Canada、CTV、Rogers TV、中央电视台、北京电视台等主流媒体广泛报道,足迹遍及加国东西岸以及国际舞台,并出版了多张唱盘。

Musical Innovation and Vision

She studied under the legendary pipa master Lin Shicheng and earned her bachelor’s degree in pipa performance from the Central Minzu University in Beijing, followed by a Master’s degree in Contemporary Music Composition from Laval University in Canada.

She has founded several ensembles integrating Eastern and Western music, including the Yadong Guan Trio — Canada’s first trio featuring pipa, guitar, and cello. Her performances have been widely featured by major media outlets such as CBC, Bravo!, Radio Canada, CTV, Roger’s TV, CCTV, BTV etc.. She has toured extensively across Canada and released multiple recordings.

奖项与荣誉

她曾获蒙克顿功夫电影节“最佳原创音乐奖”; 歌曲《姥姥抱抱》荣获“美焕文心”少儿歌曲创作大赛金奖; 她受中国文化部邀请参加“相约北京”国际艺术节; 将其创新的中西融合音乐带上国家级文化舞台; 加拿大国会议员多次为她颁发荣誉奖章; 创办了渥太华第一支由华人建立的少儿合唱团; 其设计的电声摇滚琵琶获国家专利,代表了中国传统乐器在当代创新中的突破。

2023年,她的艺术成就被正式收录于牛津大学出版社出版的权威文献《牛津手册:在中国及海外华人的音乐》,确立了她在琵琶全球化进程中的学术地位。

Honors and Recognition 

Her exceptional contribution to the development of Chinese culture haswon her several prestigious awards, including the Best Original Music Award at the Moncton Kung Fu Film Festival; her composition Grandma won her the gold medal from a Chinese children’s song-writing competition held in Beijing; Her ensembles were invited by China’s Ministry of Culture to perform at the “Meet in Beijing” International Arts Festival etc., presenting her cross-cultural innovations on a national platform; She established the Chinese Canadian Children’s Choir of Canada (C5), the first children’s choir of the Ottawa Chinese community; She has received multiple honorary medals from Canadian Members of Parliament; Her design of the electric-rock pipa was granted a national patent, representing a breakthrough in the modernization of traditional Chinese instruments.

In 2023, her artistic achievements were included in The Oxford Handbook of Music in China and the Chinese Diaspora, published by Oxford University Press— affirming her scholarly and artistic role in the global expansion of pipa music.

教学与成果

她教学严谨、因材施教、课堂生动有趣,深受各年龄层学生的喜爱与尊敬。她的学生群体多元,来自加拿大各地及海外。学生在中央音乐学院海外考级和加拿大各类音乐赛事中屡获佳绩。她积极组织学生参与演出,推动琵琶教育的国际传播与舞台实践相结合。

Teaching and Educational Impact

As an educator, Yadong Guan is known for her rigorous, flexible, and engaging teaching style, earning the respect of students across age groups. Her diverse student base includes learners from Canada and abroad, many of whom have achieved excellent results in international pipa exams and Canadian music competitions. She emphasizes hands-on learning, regularly involving her students in public performances and promoting a well-rounded approach that connects global music education with real-world stage experience.

个人官网/Website: www.yadongguan.com

卡尔顿大学官网/U. Carleton: https://carleton.ca/music/

people/yadong-guan/

邮箱/Email: yadongguan@gmail.com

微信/WeChat: yadongguan