"Our newly formed Joy Luck Trio brings together pipa, erhu, and piano in a one‑of‑a‑kind ensemble, performing music written especially for us. As three Chinese musicians, we delve into beloved Chinese folk songs and folktales alongside Western classics, infusing each piece with our own distinctive voice. Our sound is lyrical, colorful, and deeply personal, bridging cultures while telling stories that feel both timeless and new."

Gao Hong is an internationally acclaimed pipa virtuoso, composer, improviser, and educator, recognized as a 2025 Hall of Fame Artist by the Transglobal World Music Hall of Fame for her profound artistry and global impact. April 3, 2022 was proclaimed “Gao Hong Day” in St. Paul, Minnesota by the city’s mayor, honoring her milestone concert celebrating 50 years of music-making.

https://chinesepipa.com/

Karen Han-Ottosson is an internationally renowned erhu virtuoso, composer and vocalist. Her major solo recording accomplishments include the Oscar-winning films The Last Emperor, The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty, Detroit, The Passion of Christ, Memoirs of a Geisha, The Pursuit of Happyness, Mulan, Mulan 2, The Joy Luck Club, Anna and the King, Pirates of Caribbean: At World’s End, Kung Fu Panda (1, 2 & 3), Star Trek, Men in Black 3, 2012, Star Trek: Into Darkness, Pacific Rim, Monkey King, Transformers 4, Penguins of Madagascar, and the video games Minecraft, Riot, Call of Duty, and Disney MGM’s short film Mickey & Mouse and the recent Disney films Turning Red and Babylon, the latter of which will be released in December 2022.

https://karenhan.com/

Donna Weng Friedman is an award-winning pianist, producer, filmmaker and creative visionary. Her distinguished career spans dynamic performances, innovative projects, groundbreaking collaborations, and a steadfast dedication to advancing the arts through innovation, education and mentorship.

Donna was selected as one of Musical America's Top 30 Professionals of 2024 for her outstanding contribution to the performing arts.

https://www.donnawengfriedman.com/

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