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Ciompi Quartet bridges more than strings with spring 2025 China tour
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From March 8–18, 2025, the members of Duke's world-renowned Ciompi Quartet conducted a tour of China and mini-term residency at Duke Kunshan University. Their visit included performances in Shanghai, Suzhou, Kunshan, Tianjin, and Xi'an. In addition to the public concerts, the quartet conducted masterclasses at Duke Kunshan University, Tianjin Julliard School, and the Xi'an Conservatory of Music. The program varied across locations, but a key feature was the Quartet's premiere of Maximiliano Amici's “Encounters” for string quartet.
The following reflection was written by Professor Hsiao-Mei Ku, Professor of the Practice of Music, Ciompi Quartet violinist, and member of the APSI faculty:
The Ciompi Quartet’s spring break was both exciting and action-packed. Less than 24 hours after landing in Shanghai, we performed our first concert at the China Europe International Business School. Alongside works by Schubert and Beethoven, we premiered Encounters, a piece based on the Chinese folk tune 兰花花 (Lan Hua Hua), commissioned from composer Maximiliano Amici. Amici, who earned his PhD in composition from Duke, now serves as an Assistant Professor at Duke Kunshan University (DKU). We also performed Blue Dragon Sword Dance from At the Kansas City New Year Concert for String Quartet by Chen Yi, a renowned Chinese-American composer and recipient of numerous awards and honors.
One of the most memorable aspects of our journey was the incredible hospitality we received—not only from local audiences but also from former Duke students, their parents, and even their grandparents. A delightful surprise was the presence of a current Duke student at our concert in Shanghai!
Before this trip, the Ciompi Quartet had visited China four times—in 1991, 2003, 2011, and 2013—performing in Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Wuhan, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Qingdao, and, of course, the DKU campus in Kunshan. During an earlier DKU visit, we toured site while it was still under construction, even wearing helmets! However, this most recent trip was especially significant, as it marked our first time performing a concert and teaching master classes at the Xi’an Conservatory.
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We spent five days teaching a Mini-Term course at DKU, a Music Excursion designed for students with or without a musical background. Our goal was to encourage students to explore beyond their preconceptions. During class, each student had the chance to sit in the center—within the quartet—engaging in active listening to experience the musical “conversation.”
In many ways, our rehearsal process mirrors the dynamics of any 21st-century organization. We experience ups and downs, moments of unity and disagreement, and periods of forward momentum and setbacks—all reflecting life itself. We rise to challenges, bring out the best in one another, expand our intellectual capacities, refine our artistic sensibilities, improve our communication and interpersonal skills, rely on our strengths, and integrate four distinct musical personalities into a unified, exceptional performance. This collaborative process embodies teamwork across all fields and showcases how leadership emerges in different moments.
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In addition to Shanghai and DKU, we performed and taught at Suzhou University, the Tianjin Juilliard School of Music, and Tsinghua University in Beijing. However, the highlight of our trip was our final stop in Xi’an, the historic capital of 13 Chinese dynasties —a city where the past lingers in the air, and the sounds of street vendors’ calls and chants fill the vibrant night market in the Muslim District.
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During our concert in Xi’an, I handed the microphone to our cellist, Caroline Stinson, and asked about her impression of the city. She exclaimed, “我爱西安!” (“I love Xi’an!”). Then, Jonathan Bagg added, “西安真美!” (“Xi’an is beautiful!”), and Eric Pritchard declared, “西安 No.1!” (“Xi’an is number one!”). The audience was ecstatic!
The enthusiasm of the audience was overwhelming. For our first encore, we performed A Basketball, a lively jazz-infused piece by our Duke colleague Anthony Kelly. Their energy was so infectious that we couldn’t resist playing a second encore—跑马山歌 (The Horse Racing Mountain Song), a folk piece arranged by Chinese-American composer Zhou Long. The audience clapped along and erupted with excitement.
On our final day in Xi’an, we visited the site of the Terracotta Army and concluded our journey with an outdoor performance of the Chinese piece 长恨歌 (The Everlasting Sorrow). As the stage lights illuminated the scene, my colleagues gasped in disbelief, their mouths wide open in awe. I grinned—I knew they were impressed!
About the author
Hsiao-mei Ku, a Naxos Artist, is a Professor of the Practice and member of the Ciompi Quartet in the Department of Music of Duke University. In addition to her world-wide performing career with the Ciompi Quartet, she has further developed her research/performing interest related to her own heritage-the Chinese culture and has released two solo CDs, “Violin and Piano Music by Ma Sicong (I) and (II)” by Naxos.
Of her performances, Strings Magazine reviewer Greg Cahill wrote: “These expressive works are played exquisitely by violinist Hsiao-mei Ku… This CD features some of the most beautiful recorded chamber music that you will encounter this year, fiercely romantic and filled with heartfelt emotion”.
For more, be sure to read an in-depth summary of the Ciompi Quartet's residency at Duke Kunshan University!