Ge Gan-ru

Ge Gan-ru Ensemble is a logical answer to worldwide audience’s enthusiastic response to his music. The ensemble offers an unprecedented and unforgettable music experience with its authoritative and insightful interpretation of Ge Gan-ru’s music.

Composed of four of the best contemporary music performers in New York City, with frequent participation of guest artists, Ge Gan-ru Ensemble plays a wide range of repertoire from Ge Gan-ru’s dazzling solo works, heart-felt musical dramas to emotionally appealing string quartets and quintets.

The ensemble players are well-known for their passion for and commitment to the new music. The New York Times calls their performance of GeGan-ru’s music “mesmerizing”. Ge Gan-ru’s string quartet album “Fall of Baghdad” recorded by the players is rated by the New York Times as one the best CDs in 2009, evidencing the players’ extraordinary musicianship.

ARTISTS’ BIOGRAPHY

Airi Yoshioka, violin
Airi Yoshioka has concertized throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and Canada as a soloist, recitalist and chamber musician. She is the founding member of the Damocles Trio and the Modigliani Quartet and has performed and recorded with the members of the Emerson, Brentano and Arditti Quartets. An enthusiastic performer of new music, she is a principal member of Continuum, ModernWorks, Son Sonora, Azure, Ensemble Pi and RUCKUS ensembles. She has recorded for New World, Claves, Mode, Albany and Pony Canyon records.
 
Mayuki Fukuhara, violin
Mayuki Fukuhara was a student of Ivan Galamian, Jaime Laredo and Felix Galimir at the Curtis Institute and Mannes College of Music. He is presently the concertmaster of the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and a member of the St Lake’s Chamber Ensemble. He performs regularly with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, the NY Collegium and is concertmaster of the Vermont Symphony. He has been a participant at the Marlboro and Caramoor festivals, and performs at the Saito Kinen Festival in Japan.
 
Veronica Salas, viola
Veronica Salas has premiered and recorded contemporary works for viola and harpsichord with the Queens Chamber Band, chamber music with the Elysium Ensemble and Bennington Chamber Music Conference. Salas is a member of the Pierrot Consort, Bronx Arts and Canta Libre Chamber Ensembles. She performs as a faculty member of the CW Post Chamber Festival with the Emerson and Orion Quartets. Salas received her DMA from Juilliard and is on the faculty of New York University and Long Island University.

Madeleine Shapiro, cellist
Makeleine Shapiro performs extensively as a solo recitalist throughout the United States, Europe and Latin America and has had numerous solo works written for her. Awards include two Encore Awards from the American Composers Forum, a Barrow Award, and as director of the New Music Consort, First Prize in Adventurous Programming/ASCAP-Chamber Music America award. She directs the Contemporary Music Ensemble at the Mannes College of Music. Madeleine’s solo CD, Electricity: Works for Cello and Electronics can be found on Albany Records.

Ge Gan-ru, described in The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians as ‘China’s first avant-garde composer’, is regarded as one of the most original composers of his generation. His music is known for its immediately identifiable individualism and unique sound.

Ge Gan-ru’s music has been released by Naxos, BIS Records, Telarc, Albany Records, New Albion Records and Mode Records. His orchestral album “Chinese Rhapsody”, chamber music disc “Lost Style” and string quartet CD “Fall of Baghdad” have all received critical acclaims worldwide. “Fall of Baghdad” was selected as one the best CDs in 2009 by The New York Times.

In 2010, he was chosen as one of the fifteen most inspiring musicians in today’s classical music world by the “Listen” magazine.

Ge Gan-ru’s music reflects his deep interest in amalgamating Eastern and Western musical aesthetics. He writes, “I try to combine contemporary Western compositional techniques with my music sensitivity and Chinese musical characteristics to create a unique and highly individual sound world.”

REVIEWS

“Ge Gan-ru is China’s first avant-garde composer”. – The New Grove Dictionary

“(Ge Gan-ru) is fully in control of his craft. His Chinese Rhapsody is an orchestral tour de force worthy of Stravinsky or Villa- Lobos at their most dazzling”. – The Gramophone

“The way he (Ge Gan-ru) used the unorthodox techniques of Western experimental music to evoke the ritualistic sounds and gestures of ancient Chinese musical idioms seemed unprecedented.” – The New York Times

“(Wu – Rising to Heights is) one of the most sheerly beautiful 20th century works … for utter aural beauty – for no other word will do – Wu stands for itself.” – South China Morning Post, Hong Kong

“(Ge Gan-ru) is a rare and brilliant talent, one whose work should find a place in most collections.” – CD HotList “Fall of Baghdad is one of the best recordings Naxos has made of anything.” – Allmusic.com

“His (Ge Gan-ru’s) music is intriguing, skillfully set down and grateful to the ears.” – San Francisco Chronicle

“Ge Gan-ru writes in an immediately identifiable, intriguingly personal style… exciting and ravishing… beautiful… vigorous … ferocious, witty …” – ClassicsToday.com

“(Ge Gan-ru) is an absolute master, clearly a composer of international standing.” – International Record Review “If you are serious about creative encounters, observe Ge Gan-ru.” – The Independent, London