a special Steinway-sponsored event
with Yuki Mack, piano; Tianshi Feng, Dizi (Chinese Bamboo Flute); Xiao Dong Wei, Erhu (Chinese Violin) & Claire Hottmann, Erhu & percussion
Japanese born pianist, Yuki Mack, has performed throughout the United States and three continents. Yuki’s performances include a broad range of piano works including chamber music and as a soloist with orchestras. Beyond the main-stage, she has performed live on the radio in Sweden, Italy, Poland and the United States, and has appeared in the award-winning documentary on PBS. Most notably, in 2006 she was selected as a Steinway Artist - joining an impressive roster of world renown pianists. Yuki has also recorded with her sister Tomoko several highly acclaimed albums. In addition In 2007, she partnered with renown erhu artist Xiao Dong Wei. Since then, they have produced an erhu and piano album ‘Where East Meet West’ and performed in Europe music festivals during the summer of 2023. They are currently planning another European tour for 2024 and 2025. Currently, Yuki resides in Michigan where she has established herself as a highly sought after educator and performing artist. During the summer she frequently joins the faculty of the International Summer Music Festival in Nałęczów, Poland.
Tianshi Feng, Chinese bamboo (Dizi) flutist, is a five time Gold prize winner that includes "WenHua" Grand Chinese Instruments Competition, organized by the China Ministry of Culture for solo performance and chamber music performance. She is currently a teacher at the Central Conservatory of Music while pursuing her Doctoral degree, studying dizi under Professor Yuan Feifan.
Tianshi studied dizi with her grandfather, Mr. Zhiping Wei, at age of 5, and then enrolled in the middle school of the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing in 2004. She then went on to the Central Conservatory for her undergrad study in 2010. She was recommended as a graduate student in 2014 due to her academic excellence. She studied under Professor Dai Ya, Yuan Feifan and national Dizi master, Wang Ciheng. In 2018, she was selected as a member of the newly established assembly, The Central Conservatory of Music Chamber Orchestra. In 2022, her first solo album was published.
She has been a featured soloist, touring China with orchestras and famed conductors such as Mr. Yu Long, Zhang Guoyong, Huang Yi, Jing Huan, Zhang Lu and Zhu Man. She has worked with the following orchestras: China Philharmonic Orchestra, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Kunming Nieer Symphony Orchestra, NeiMenGu Symphony Orchestra, Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra, Qingdao Symphony Orchestra, Ningbo Symphony Orchestra and others. She was also the featured soloist for the China Philharmonic Orchestra 2022 National Tour.
Xiao Dong Wei, a Kresge Performing Artist, has been teaching the Chinese Music Ensemble at the University of Michigan for over a decade. She is a multi-instrumentalist and plays over dozens of different types of Chinese and western instruments including string, plucked string, wind and percussions.
Xiao Dong Wei attended prestigious Chinese music school, The Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, at the age of 11. She graduated with a major of Erhu and a minor of piano. During her ten-year intensive college study, Xiao Dong won many prizes in national and international competitions, and was awarded the title of “Excellent Artist "by the China Ministry of Culture.
After she moved to the United States in 2005, Xiao Dong established a profession as an active and versatile Chinese music performer. She has performed in numerous local music festivals, in national programs such as National Public Radio (NPR) and also traveled to Europe to perform. Xiao Dong built her reputation as a talented artist in mastering many types of Chinese music instruments and developed her own music style by merging Chinese music to various western themes.
Xiao Dong also collaborates with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and has her own band, “Madame XD,” where she writes songs, plays instruments and sings. In her spare time , Xiao Dong loves cooking and practicing Yoga and Chinese sword.
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