Sierra Madre Playhouse Will Present MELODY OF CHINA In November

Sierra Madre Playhouse will present Melody of China on Saturday, November 22, 2025, at 11:00 a.m., offering audiences an immersive musical experience that bridges ancient tradition and modern artistry. The San Francisco-based chamber ensemble, renowned for its innovative blend of Chinese and Western influences, performs contemporary compositions on traditional instruments in a dazzling program suitable for all ages. Tickets are $12.

Led by Artistic Director Yangqin Zhao, who performs on the guzheng (zither) and yangqin (hammered dulcimer), the ensemble also features Strauss Shi on erhu (two-stringed fiddle) and dizi (bamboo transverse flute), and Thomas Lee on erhu and gaohu (Chinese bowed instrument). Praised by the San Francisco Chronicle as “innovative and dazzling,” Melody of China has become a leading force in Chinese music in the U.S., commissioning and premiering more than 40 new works by 20 composers since its founding in 1993.

The group’s performances transcend genre boundaries, combining traditional Chinese repertoire with contemporary works by composers such as Kui Dong, Gang Situ, and Yuanlin Chen. Melody of China has appeared with the Berlin Philharmonic and the San Francisco Symphony, and performed at venues including Lincoln Center, The Juilliard School, Davies Symphony Hall, and Herbst Theatre. Their cross-cultural collaborations have also extended to jazz ensembles such as Francis Wong’s Asian Improv Arts and Anthony Brown’s Asian-American Jazz Orchestra, and to dance partnerships with Alonzo King LINES Ballet and the Oakland Ballet.