Liu Qi-Chao

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Liu Qi-Chao (刘起超; surname Liu) is a Chinese-born multi-instrumentalist. Born in Shandong, China, he graduated from the prestigious Shanghai Conservatory of Music. He now lives in southern California.

Liu performs on a wide array of traditional Chinese instruments, including wind instruments: dizi, suona, sheng, bawu, xun, and xiao; stringed instruments: erhu, guzheng, and sanxian; and percussion: Chinese drums, cymbals, gongs, and woodblocks.

In addition to his traditional performances, he has also worked in cross-cultural projects, collaborating with the Kronos Quartet, Jon Jang and the Pan Asian Arkestra, and the African Chinese Sextet featuring flutist James Newton. Due to his special interest in jazz, he has become associated with the Asian American jazz movement. Liu also leads his own ensemble, Chi Music.

His wife was the late Zhang Yan (张燕, 1945-1996), a guzheng player.