Visionary pipa soloist, Min Xiao-Fen, has recorded a new album titled Metta. Commissioned by the Smithsonian Institution in 2023, Min has created original soundtracks for two historic Chinese silent films from the 1920s: “Romance of the Fruit Peddler” and “Romance of the Western Chamber.” These evocative scores feature Min on pipa, ruan, sanxian, finger piano, sound effects, and vocals, accompanied by Middle Eastern percussionist River Guerguerian.
The pipa is a 4-string Chinese lute. Ms. Min. Classically trained in pipa in her native China; she was an in-demand performer of traditional music before relocating to the United States. In North America, she forged a new path for her instrument alongside many of the leading artists in modern jazz, free improvisation, experimental and contemporary classical music.
Min is set to release her engaging new album, Metta, on March 23, 2024, through Asian Improv Records. Making her debut at the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, Tennessee, Min will present an extraordinary fusion of cinematic nostalgia and musical innovation, promising to enchant both cinephiles and music aficionados alike. “Metta” is a Buddhist word meaning “loving-kindness.”
Author: Douglas Sanders
