Artistic Director – Ms. Bing Xia

Ms. Bing Xia is an acclaimed guzheng soloist and educator, widely recognized both in China and throughout the Washington, D.C. area. She began studying the guzheng at the age of eight and went on to receive formal training at Nanjing Normal University under Professors Yan Aihua and Tu Yongmei. She later pursued advanced studies at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music with renowned guzheng masters He Baoquan and Sun Wenyan. She also studied Chinese folk music composition with Professor He Zhanhao, the renowned composer.

Ms. Xia launched her professional career as a soloist with the Xuzhou City Song and Dance Ensemble in China. Since moving to the United States, she has performed at some of the nation’s most prestigious venues, including the Smithsonian Freer Gallery of Art, the Kennedy Center, and a wide range of cultural festivals and institutions. Her appearances include performances for the Smithsonian Institution, University of Maryland, DC City Council, U.S. Department of Energy, IMF, FCC, FDA, Export-Import Bank, U.S. Secret Service, George Mason University, BlackRock Center for the Arts, and the Strathmore Music Center. In January 2009, she was honored to perform at the Smithsonian Institution with support from the Presidential Inaugural Committee.

Celebrated for both her artistry and dedication to education, Ms. Xia has led her students to win top honors in national guzheng competitions. Her influence extends beyond the stage, contributing to multimedia projects such as the globally popular video game Civilization VI. Her performances have been featured on NPR and Voice of America, further cementing her reputation as a cultural ambassador.

The Washington Post praised her performances as "overwhelmingly artistic," a testament to her expressive power and musical excellence. Through both performance and teaching, Ms. Xia continues to elevate and share the beauty of traditional Chinese music with audiences and students around the world.

🎧 Listen to Bing Xia’s featured recording:
Chinese Music of the Seasons – Bing Xia (Smithsonian Asia Archives)

Chinese Music for the Phoenix- Bing Xia and Rujia Teng ( Performed in the Sackler Gallery on July 27, 2013, and presented in conjunction with the exhibition Nine Deaths, Two Births: Xu Bing's Phoenix Project.)

夏冰老师是著名古筝演奏家、教育家，在中国及美国华盛顿特区（Washington, D.C.）地区享有广泛声誉。她八岁开始学习古筝，先后就读于南京师范大学音乐学院和上海音乐学院，系统接受专业音乐训练，师从阎爱华、涂永梅、何宝泉、孙文妍等中国古筝界的重要艺术家，并师从著名作曲家何占豪教授学习民族音乐作曲，奠定了扎实而深厚的艺术基础。

旅居美国后，夏冰老师持续活跃于各类重要艺术与文化场馆，曾登台 Smithsonian Freer Gallery of Art、Kennedy Center（肯尼迪艺术中心），并参与多项文化节与艺术项目。2000年，她创立了“华盛顿筝乐团”，致力于中国传统音乐在北美地区的推广与发展。其演出与文化交流活动涵盖 Washington, D.C. Temple Visitors’ Center Theater、University of Maryland、George Mason University、National Museum of Natural History、Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Concert Hall、Smithsonian National Museum、U.S. Botanic Garden、Lisner Auditorium、BlackRock Center for the Arts 以及 Strathmore Music Center 等众多机构与演出场所。
2009年1月，夏冰老师受邀参加美国奥巴马总统就职庆典系列活动，并在 Smithsonian Institution 举办古筝专场演出。

在教育方面，夏冰老师同样成就卓著。她长期致力于古筝教学，所培养的学生多次在各类古筝比赛中获得优异成绩。除舞台演出与教学工作外，她还参与全球知名电子游戏 Civilization VI（《文明6》） 的音乐制作，演奏了游戏中所有中国部分的古筝音乐，她的音乐曾在 NPR 和 Voice of America 播出，受到广泛关注。

《The Washington Post》评价她的演奏“overwhelmingly artistic”，高度肯定了其艺术表现力与音乐感染力。多年来，夏冰老师始终致力于中国传统音乐的传承与推广，通过演出、教学及国际文化交流，不断向世界展示古筝艺术的独特魅力与当代价值。她曾荣获 Maryland State Arts Council 2011–2012 年度艺术基金资助。