Mon May 11
Qi Yu - Emerging Artist Mondays
7PM / $25 | $7 Fees Get Tickets
Qi Yu
Join us for an evening where Chinese tradition meets jazz, as Qi Yu and her band celebrate Asian American Heritage Month. Rooted in traditional Chinese melodies and Chinese rhythmic frameworks, the ancient guzheng (Chinese zither) is reimagined through the improvisational energy and rhythmic drive of jazz, Latin, and Afro-Cuban traditions. Featuring guzheng, piano, bass, drums, and horns, the music creates a vibrant sonic landscape where East meets West. Drawing from Chinese folk songs alongside original compositions and reinterpreted classics, the music weaves storytelling, improvisation, and cross-cultural dialogue. Join us for a night of innovation steeped in multicultural tradition, as Qi Yu and her band push the boundaries of both jazz and Chinese traditional music, where ancient guzheng melodies meet bold improvisation and global rhythms.
Qi Yu is a guzheng (Chinese zither) artist, composer, and educator based in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Originally from Inner Mongolia, China, she began studying the guzheng at the age of six and has since dedicated her life to expanding the instrument’s expressive possibilities on the global stage.
Qi’s work bridges traditional Chinese music with contemporary genres, blending the guzheng’s ethereal tones with jazz, Latin music, and other global music styles. Her innovative approach pushes the boundaries of the instrument, creating a unique soundscape that honors tradition while embracing experimentation and improvisation.
She holds dual master’s degrees in World Music and Recording Arts from Northern Illinois University, where she deepened both her technical and creative fluency in cross cultural musical dialogue. In 2025, she was selected for the Strathmore Artist in Residence Program, joining a cohort of emerging artists shaping the future of the performing arts.
As a performer, Qi has appeared on some of the most celebrated stages, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Kennedy Center, and Strathmore, among others. Her work also extends beyond the stage through workshops, collaborations, and recording projects, she is committed to making the guzheng accessible to broader audiences and inspiring the next generation of boundary pushing musicians.
7PM / $25 | $7 Fees Get Tickets
1. Final sale, no refunds, not transferable.
2. $15 food/beverage minimum per person not included in ticket price.
3. Seating first come at the door. Doors open 6 PM & 8:45 PM respectively Monday thru Saturday, and 4:30 PM & 7:15 PM Sundays.
4. No Photography or Recording of any kind during the performance.
5. Keep conversation to a minimum during the performance.