Following the concert by Chinese pipa master Wu Man and the US-based Grammy-winning Kronos Quartet last Sunday, the "Female Trio," consisting of erhu (two-stringed bowed instrument) player Ma Xiaohui, dizi (horizontal bamboo flute) player Tang Junqiao, and guzheng (Chinese zither) player Luo Xiaoci will stage another concert tonight at the Shanghai Oriental Arts Center with the Shanghai Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra.

The group drew world attention when they played at the 2001 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit reception in Shanghai. After that erhu player Ma and flutist Tang made the world sit up and listen to traditional Chinese music. They played the soundtrack for Ang Lee's Oscar-winning movie "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" in collaboration with cellist Yo-Yo Ma.

The concert will begin with Luo's guzheng piece "A Night Mooring by Kaede Bridge." Inspired by a Tang Dynasty (618-907) poem, the piece paints a picture of a winter's night scene in ancient Suzhou - there's a cold temple, a lonely boat and a beautifully sad mood. Chinese pianist Lang Lang has played this with guzheng in his new album, "The Huanghe River Concerto."

Daughter of an artist father and ballet dancer mother, Luo is skilled at both guzheng playing and traditional Chinese calligraphy, which she often performs in one recital.

Erhu player Ma, famous for her delicate skills and passionate performance style, will play "River of Sorrow" and "Tianshan Mountain Shepherdess." Both were composed by Yang Liqing, head of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music.

Ma has explored new territory with the ancient instrument and was a sensation in concert with German pianist Tim Ovens; they played many contemporary compositions specially written for erhu and piano at the Shanghai Grand Theater in 2005.

Considered one of China's premier flutists, Tang will play an ancient piece, "Three Variations on Plum Blossoms," and a contemporary composition "Flying Song."

Now she is professor at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. She was the first female principal flutist for the Shanghai Traditional Music Orchestra.

The high point of the concert will be the "Beautiful Scene of Jiangnan" and "Flying Apsaras," played by the three musicians.

"The world is curious and passionate about traditional Chinese cultures, like our traditional music, which I have experienced myself," said pipa master Wu after her Shanghai concert on Sunday. "Through the cooperation with Western instruments, I have explored new possibilities of traditional Chinese instruments. We Chinese musicians have to be confident in introducing our spendid culture and arts."

Female Trio
Date: March 24, 7:30pm
Venue: Shanghai Oriental Arts Center, 425 Dingxianglu
Tickets: 50-360 yuan
Tel: 021-62258071