Xuefei Yang, guitar: Six Strings, One World

Saturday, May 9, 2026 at 7:30pm CDT

Galvin Recital Hall

“with sparkle, clarity, and flair.”
—New York Sun
 
Xuefei Yang’s artistic journey began after China’s Cultural Revolution, during which Western music and instruments were banned. She became the first guitarist in China to enter a music conservatory and become internationally recognized for her performances on the instrument. Yang has played in more than 50 countries at major venues and festivals, and her collaborations have included such musicians as tenor Ian Bostridge, the Heath Quartet, and violinist David Garrett. She continues to expand the guitar canon, frequently commissioning new works, making her own arrangements, and adding Chinese music and chamber music to her repertoire. Her second album was selected as a Gramophone Editor’s Choice, and she was awarded a Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Music in 2012. Since 2015, Yang has served as artistic director of the Changsha International Guitar Festival. Her “Six Strings, One World” program invites the audience on a rich musical journey that spans continents, cultures, and centuries—all through the expressive and intimate voice of the guitar. From the delicate lyricism of French Impressionism and the spirited duende of Spanish masterpieces, to the evocative sound worlds of China and Japan, the rhythmic vitality of Brazil, and the bold character of American compositions, this program celebrates the shared humanity at the heart of music. 

Traditional Chinese folksong, “White Snow in Spring Sunlight” 
Traditional Chinese folksong, “Sword Dance” 
Ryuichi Sakamoto, “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence” 
Nikita Koshkin, Usher Waltz 
Joaquín Rodrigo, Invocación y danza 
Manuel de Falla, Homenaje pour le tombeau de Claude Debussy 
Manuel de Falla (arr. Xuefei Yang), Spanish Dance No. 1 
Erik Satie, “Je te veux” 
Erik Satie, “La diva de l’empire” 
Luiz Bonfá, “Manhã de Carnival” 
Antônio Carlos Jobim, “A felicidade” 
Jiří Jirmal, Baden Jazz Suite 
Erroll Garner, “Misty” 
Jerome Kern, “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” 
Billy Strayhorn, “Take the ‘A’ Train” 

Single tickets are $40 for the general public and $15 for students with valid ID.