Concerts with works by

Carlo Domeniconi

Xuefei Yang, guitar

»Fervent virtuosity, impeccable technique, sensitive musicality« – so enthuses the New York Times about the Chinese guitarist Xuefei Yang. This musician is a real pioneer of the guitar world: she was one of the first to start a global career as a classical guitarist from Peking after China’s cultural revolution (a period in which Western instruments and music were banned in China). When she performed in Madrid for the first time aged 14, at the epicentre of the guitar world, composer Joaquín Rodrigo came to hear her in person. She has now played concerts in over 50 countries, is not only a noteworthy virtuoso, but also constantly expands the guitar repertoire with new arrangements and commissioned works – as also in her new project that she presents at the Elbphilharmonie: »X Culture«. »X Culture is a homage to the variety and a sign of the creativity that arises if you open up to other cultures,« Yang says. Different cultures always blend in the works that she collated on her 2023 album of the same name: for instance, the Italian composer Carlo Domeniconi is evocative of a mysterious Turkish soundscape in »Koyunbaba«, there are European composers, inspired by the Far East (Steve Goss: »Chinese Garden« and Mark Houghton: »Dance of the Orient«), conversely Tan Dun’s »Seven Desires« draws from the soundscape of Spanish flamenco. »The album reflects my own intercultural journey,« says Yang. It has also always been a concern of hers to enhance the western ideas of »classical« music with Chinese traditions and sounds. She consequently also opens her Elbphilharmonie concert with arrangements of Chinese folk songs.