Beijing Guitar Duo

San Francisco Performances presents Meng Su and Yameng Wang performing at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Concert Hall.

Program
To be announced.

About this Performance:
"Originally stars of China’s Central Conservatory of Music, the Beijing Guitar Duo was founded with the encouragement of an SF Performances favorite, guitarist Manuel Barrueco. The Duo made its San Francisco debut in 2009 to great acclaim for its “breathtaking sonic colors.” –SF Classical Voice

Artist Biography
Composed of Meng Su and Yameng Wang, the Beijing Guitar Duo first met at the Central Conservatory in Beijing, China, where they both studied with the acclaimed professor Chen Zhi. The Beijing Guitar Duo was formally established at the encouragement of Manuel Barrueco, their teacher and mentor, while pursuing their advanced studies at the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore, Maryland.

The impressive individual talents of Ms. Su and Ms. Wang come together to create what is sure to be one of the most exciting guitar duos on the scene today. As recipients of the Solomon H. Snyder Award, the Beijing Guitar Duo made its New York debut at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall with critical acclaim. The coming concert season takes them to guitar centers in countries such as Holland, Germany, Ireland, Finland, Croatia, China, and the United States, in addition, they will perform in trio with Manuel Barrueco in Germany, Finland and the United States.

Their first duo recording, Maracaípe, received a Latin GRAMMY nomination for the featured work Maracaípe, written and dedicated to them by composer Sergio Assad. Their second recording was released in October 2011 and will includes Scarlatti Sonatas, the Chaconne by Bach, Sonatina Canonica by Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Valses Poeticos by Granados, and the world premiere recording of Tan Dun’s Eight Memories in Watercolor in an arrangement for two guitars.

Meng Su was born in the coastal city of Qingdao, in the province of Shandong, China in 1988, Meng Su demonstrated her artistic gifts as an exceptionally talented guitarist from an early age.

Embarking on an exciting guitar career as one of the most outstanding guitarists of her generation, Meng Su began her training in classical guitar with renowned Professor Chen Zhi at the age of nine, where she quickly began attracting attention as a remarkable young talent. Before graduating from the High School of the Central Conservatory of Music of China in 2006, Ms. Su had already won many awards, including the 5th Vienna Youth Guitar Competition, the 48th Tokyo International Guitar Competition, the Christopher Parkening Young Guitarist Competition, and the 2nd Iserlohn International Guitar Competition in Germany.

In her short time as a performing artist, she has performed solo, duo, and quartet concerts across the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Austria, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Finland, Croatia, Korea, Japan, and China, in which she has impressed audiences with an ability and artistry that exceeds her years. Ms. Su performs regularly in chamber music setting, both with orchestras as a soloist, this past season she performed the Concierto de Aranjuez by Joaquin Rodrigo and Osvaldo Golijov’s Ayre for a chamber music ensemble.

Meng Su obtained her Performer’s Certificate and the Graduate Performer’s Diploma from Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, USA, and is currently continuing her studies with guitar virtuoso Manuel Barrueco in the chamber music program. Ms. Su’s discography includes a live CD and DVD release of a 2005 guitar concert in Korea as well as a release of Four Angels.

Yameng Wang was born in Qingdao, China in 1981, Yameng Wang fell in love with the classical guitar at a young age and began studying with the leading guitar professor in China, Professor Chen Zhi, when she was 10 years old.

She became the youngest winner of the Tokyo International Guitar Competition at the age of 12. She went on to win second prize in the “Michele Pittaluga” International Guitar Competition in Italy at the age of 13, and at the age of 14 she was invited by Radio France to perform at the Paris International Guitar Art Week and won second prize in La Infanta Doña Cristina International Guitar Competition in Spain. Classical Guitar magazine noted that at the age of 14, she already played like a seasoned professional.

After graduating from the Central Conservatory of Music of China in 2006, Ms. Wang enrolled in the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, Maryland. There, she finished her Masters of Music degree in 2008 and is currently in the Graduate Performance Diploma program, studying with Maestro Manuel Barrueco.

Ms. Wang has given acclaimed recitals across the US, France, Italy, Holland, Germany, Ireland, Finland, Croatia,, Britain, Austria, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, Poland, Australia, Japan, and Malaysia both as a soloist and in chamber music setting.

Her first album, Caprice was recorded when she was 16 years old. A Very Special Album was released in 1999, and in 2003 she contributed GHA’s album, The Best of Classical Guitar. In 2005 she released Classic Guitar–Aquarelle, Un Sueño en la Floresta.