Maestro Zheng Xiaoying

Maestro ZHENG Xiaoying, one of China’s most prominent conductors, is China’s first female opera-symphony conductor. She is Lifetime Honorary Conductor of China’s Central Opera House, former Principle Conductor of it, former Dean of the Conducting Department at China’s Central Conservatory of Music, former Music Director of the Ai Yue Nv Chamber Orchestra (located in Beijing), former Artistic Director of the Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra (located in Fujian province) .

Maestro Zheng is recipient of numerous international and national prestigiousawards and recognitions, including: French Literature and Arts Medal of Honor, Russia-China Friendship Medal of Honor (twice), Special Contribution to Opera in China Award, Golden Bell Award’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and the title of China’s Cultural Figure.

As one of the founders of China’s opera and symphony in the twentieth century, Maestro Zheng graduated from China’s Central Conservatory of Music, and persuaded further studies in opera and symphony conducting at National Moscow Conservatory of Music. Maestro Zheng is the first Chinese conductor conducted in international opera houses, she has conducted concerts and operas in over twenty countries.

Maestro Zheng is one of the most experienced conducting professors in China. In her career of over half of the century, she has taught numerous students, many of them are active on the important stages, both domestically and abroad. The Outstanding Contribution Award of the Central Conservatory of Music recognized her pedagogical impact and achievements.
In addition, Maestro Zheng is the most famous music social activist in China. Since 1980s, she has been advocating passionately for the popularization of classical works of symphony and opera among the Chinese people, especially among the college students, by offering public lectures on campuses and at many public venues. Therefore, she was recognizedmany times with the awards of Elder Professors’ Contribution to China’s Rejuvenatingand the National Worthiness Contribution Award.

In 1997, supported by the Xiamen municipal government and local enterprises, Maestro Zheng was invited by Xiamen city leaders to found the Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra, which is the first non-state supported philharmonic orchestra in China.

She was the Artistic Director and Chief Conductorof the Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra from 1997-2013. Maestro Zheng led the Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra to tour Japan, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Canada, the USA, Russia, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macao, performing Chinese symphony “The Echoes of Hakka Earth Building” and promoting China’s cultural achievements in music. She also led the orchestra successfully toured over 80 cities in China. Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra was named the “National Advanced Social Organization” by China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs to recognize its extraordinary contributions. Maestro Zheng Xiaoying was named a Moral Modelfor Professional Devotion of Fujian Province and an Outstanding Constructer in Commemorating 30 Years of Development of the Xiamen Special Economic Zone. She was honored with the Xiamen Literature and Arts Special Honorary Award and her biography, Zheng Xiaoying: A Conductor, Music Educator, and Music Social Activist, was published as a part of the series on “Literary and Artistic Figures of Xiamen.”

At age 87, Maestro Zheng Xiaoying is still active on the national and international concert stages and at various workshops and public lectures.