Zhu Lei

Zhu Lei, a renowned keyboard musician and educator, recognized as one of the pioneering figures in China's modern music higher education. He served as the inaugural Chair of the Department of Modern Instrumental and Percussion Music at Shanghai Conservatory of Music for fifteen years, during which he systematically established the discipline's foundational framework.

His professional leadership includes key positions such as:

Vice President, Electronic Keyboard Society of China Musicians Association ;Director of Music and Arts, Youth and Children Education Society Singapore (YCESS);

Chairperson, Shanghai Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.

Zhu Lei founded the Singapore International Youth Modern Music Competition and the Ringway International Electronic Organ Competition. With an international concert career spanning three decades across multiple continents, his pedagogical publications have been widely adopted in professional curricula. He has also published numerous scores, educational materials, and audiovisual publications, and has served as the chairman of the jury for major industry competitions.These contributions have been recognized through multiple industry awards, with his career profoundly influencing the development of China's modern music higher education and driving substantive advancements in China's modern music pedagogy and performance practice. 

In 1996, he won first place in the inaugural National Dual-Manual Organ Competition and represented China in international competitions, where he received the Most Outstanding Performer Award at the Asia-Pacific Dual-Manual Organ Competition and second place at the 32nd International Dual-Manual Organ Competition in Tokyo, Japan, becoming the first Chinese performer in this field to win an international award.

Zhu Lei holds a master's degree in classical organ from the Manhattan School of Music in the United States. In addition to performing in numerous concerts in the US, he was also honored with the Bronson Ragan Award by the Manhattan School of Music. In 2016, he established China's first organ program at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and founded the Shanghai Conservatory of Music International Organ Music Week and International Organ Competition, as well as the Shanghai Spring International Music Festival's organ concert series.

Zhu Lei has held concert tours and performances in New York, USA; Tokyo, Nagoya, Sendai, and Fukuoka, Japan; as well as in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and other cities in China. He also pioneered the use of the electronic organ as musical accompaniment and orchestration for operas, musicals, and other stage arts in China. His superb performance skills and extraordinary stage presence have garnered widespread acclaim, attracting a large following of electronic organ students and enthusiasts wherever he goes.He actively promoted the art form in society and nurtured young performers. Many of his students have won major international and national competitions and are now active on stage and in teaching positions. 

• Founded the Singapore Center for Artistic Impressions and served as Director and Head of Education.
• Won multiple gold and silver awards in international competitions, including the Yamaha International Youth Competition, the Hong Kong International Youth Arts Festival, and the International Electronic Music Festival.
• Recognized as an Outstanding Music Teacher in Singapore, an Outstanding Teacher at the Singapore International Piano Competition, and an Outstanding Teacher at the Singapore Music Marathon.
• Published education-related papers with Ecomusic Publishing in Singapore and participated in the works presentation of the Singapore Composers' Association.

• Served as a judge for the Singapore Music Competition.
• Executive Director of INSMUSIC WORLD PTE. LTD., Singapore.
• Actively involved in the Singapore Musicians' Association, the Singapore Association for Youth and Children's Education, and the Singapore Composers' Association.
• Represented South African Chinese artists and excelled in various international events, showcasing professional standards on the global stage.

• Invited to perform at the Singapore China Cultural Centre and the 73rd Anniversary Celebration of the Founding of the People's Republic of China.
• Collaborated with renowned orchestras such as the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra and the Beijing Symphony Orchestra, expanding international artistic collaborations and cultural exchanges.

Li Xiaochuan is one of the most recognized and influential jazz musician in China. Li is the Winner of best jazz album of the 1st CMA music awards; he is also the Winner of Best Instrumental Album and Best Studio-Recording Album of the 1st JZ A wards. He is the only jazz artist awarded by China Central Television, which is to honor the most distinguished woodwind & brass musicians in China on its TV program.

Li Xiaochuan is a leading light on the Chinese jazz scene, proved himself a superb technician and an imaginative improviser, quote by British best-selling jazz magazine “Jazzwise”.

Li Xiaochuan was born into a musically talented family and learned how to play the trumpet as a child. In 1997, he started his professional music career by joining in the band of Chinese Armed Police Force in Beijing. In 2005, he graduated from Shanghai Conservatory of Music and had majored in classical trumpet performance. Xiaochuan Li was the first Asian musician to receive the Richard Dalrymple Memorial Jazz Trumpet Scholarship; He earned his Master degree in Jazz Studies at University of North Texas in 201 1. In the same year,he was named as a finalist in the jazz division of the United States National Trumpet Competition. Soon afterwards, Grammy A ward-winning jazz legend Eddie Gomez invited Xiaochuan Li to join his group for his tour in Asia.

Li Xiaochuan has performed would-wide, includes the JZ Festival Shanghai, Beijing Nine Gates Jazz Festival, Oslo jazz festival, Jazz à Juan Festival, Umbria Jazz Festival, Luxembourg Echternach Festival, Hungarian MUP A Jazz Showcase, Nis jazz festival etc. The musicians who he has worked with including Pat Metheny, Eddie Gomez, Billy Drummond etc. The sound that Xiaochuan Li is searching for in his music is the nicety of balance between western and oriental melodies. His musical talent and imaginative expression of the music make him to be one of the most recognized jazz musicians from China to overseas.

Li Xiaochuan teaches jazz trumpet at Shanghai conservatory of music.

• Contemporary percussionist,jazz vibraphonist,arranger,composer.
• Promoters and Inheritors of Chinese percussive music
• Executive Director of the Ethnic Orchestra Society of the Chinese Musicians Association
• Director of the Percussion Professional Committee of Shanghai Conservatory of Music
• MUSSER percussion global artists
• Jinbao Musical Instrument Global Artists 
• Innovative Percussion Global Artists
• Winners of Outstanding Artists and Artists in Shanghai Percussion faculty of Shanghai Normal University School of Music
• Percussion faculty of Shanghai Theatre Academy
• Graduate supervisor and honorary alumni of the New England Conservatory.

As an outstanding percussionist who across classical,modern,and jazz genres and is active on concert stages both domestically and internationally,Rong Chenchu is hailed by American media as a "leader in contemporary percussion",by world music master Tan Dun as a"rare musical pioneer",and by UNESCO as a "pioneer in percussion and jazz with a strong Eastern flavor".

Since 2008,Rong Chenchu has been winning various domestic  and  international  awards,including  the runner up in the artist group of the Greece Global Percussion Competition and the champion of the Singapore  Chinese  Percussion  Competition,winning the title of "Drum King"in HongKong. Later she achieved remarkable results in the fields of Chinese and Western percussion.Afterwards, Rong was appreciated by the world music master Tan Dun and was invited to participate in his percussion solo and as the guest percussion  chief throughout the world.The performances include:UNESCO, Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra, Abu Dhabi Global Art Summit, Getty Museum in Los Angeles,Lyon Symphony Orchestra in France, Royal Dutch Symphony Orchestra, Stuttgart Symphony Orchestra in Germany,Tuscana Symphony Orchestra in  Italy,Rotterdam Symphony Orchestra in the Netherlands,etc.

At the same time, she also serves as a soloist in major theaters and music festivals in China.The   Guangzhou Xinghai Concert Hall held its first jazz percussion concert at the 2021 Guangzhou Jazz  Festival.In  addition,Rong  Chenchu  also  received support from the National Art Fund for her work    "Liangzhu"under the guidance of Professor Yu Yang,Director of the Music  Engineering Department of Shanghai Conservatory of Music,as a soloist.In 2021,it also  represented  Chinese artists in major events such as the opening of the 4th China Import Expo,the 20th Qian'an International  Music  Festival,and  the  Guangzhou Xinghai Jazz Music Festival;Bringing unique percussion sounds and experiences to global media.In 2022,as a guest of the CROISEMENTS Festival and held a personal concert successfully. In 2023, participated  in Tan  Dun's opera  "Tea". In terms of creation,Rong Chenchu has been constantly seeking the creation and combination of various musical instruments,striving to achieve a multicultural,cross regional,ethnic,and linguistic combination.

• China's renowned jazz musician 
• Guest lecturer at Nanhai Conservatory of Music 
• Jazz drum lecturer at Shandong University of Arts 
• Percussion executive director of BaiYuLan International Music  
• Festival (Nanhai Conservatory of Music) 
• Endorsing artist for Istanbul Agop Cymbals 
• Endorsing artist for ProMark Drumsticks 
• Endorsing artist for Evans Drumheads  
• Contracted artist for HaiLun Drums 
• Contracted artist for EFnote Electronic Drums 
• Editorial committee member for electric drum grading tutorial at  
• Shanghai Percussion Association 
• Editorial committee member for jazz drum grading tutorial at  
• Shanghai Percussion Association 
• Specially-invited lecturer for jazz drum fundamentals on National  
• Learning Power Platform (xuexi.cn) 

Shi Xu graduated from Shanghai Conservatory of Music and subsequently enrolled at Queens College (CUNY) to pursue jazz drum performance studies. He received high academic commendations and graduated with perfect scores during his studies. His students have achieved remarkable admissions to prestigious global institutions. These include top conservatories such as New England Conservatory, Manhattan School of Music, Mannes School of Music, Berklee College of Music, University of North Texas College of Music, Oberlin Conservatory, and University of Central Oklahoma, with total scholarships exceeding $1,000,000 USD by 2024. 

Shi Xu, as a music educator with both sense of responsibility and mission, is also China's top music performer. He is regularly invited to conduct teaching demonstrations and performances across China, spreading the charm of music to broader audiences. Additionally, he has performed alongside Grammy-winning international masters including Dom Famularo, Lucas Van Merwijk, Ian Forman, and Antonio Hart, earning unanimous acclaim from audiences and industry experts with his exquisite performance skills.In 2017, he was invited to participate in the China tour of Richard Sussman, jazz piano professor at Manhattan School of Music, receiving high praise from audiences both in China and abroad. He serves not only as a band member for Mr.Miss (Golden Melody Award-winning Best Vocal Group), but also performs in the "Zhu Lei Electronic Ensemble" founded by Professor Zhu Lei - a pioneer of China's electronic organ discipline and renowned electronic keyboard performer/educator - with performances spanning dozens of Chinese cities across major concert halls, symphony halls, livehouses, and music festivals. In 2021, he was invited to participate in recording projects for the National Learning Power Platform (xuexi.cn), where he meticulously produced jazz drum fundamentals content that has become a valuable learning resource for music enthusiasts. In 2023, he received the Galaxy Award - China's highest cultural-tourism music honor. In 2024, he appeared as the opening act guest on the stage of China's premier variety show "Spring Festival Gala". 

Shi Xu was invited by BaiYuLan International Music Festival in 2023 to serve as executive percussion director for the competition, injecting new vitality into the festival through his extensive experience and professional expertise. Additionally, he has long served as adjudicator for Shanghai National Percussion Competition, Xiamen International Percussion Competition, and major international music competitions. Furthermore, Shi Xu actively contributed as an editorial committee member to the compilation of "Shanghai Percussion Association Electric Drum Grading Tutorial" and "Shanghai Percussion Association Jazz Drum Grading Tutorial," providing invaluable educational resources for percussion learners. His contributions have enabled more music enthusiasts to systematically study percussion and elevate their performance proficiency.

Mayu Iritani was born in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan. She started learning electronic organ at the age of 4 and piano at the age of 7. She has studied under famous Japanese electronic organ players such as Yuki Kanda, Naoko Hirota, Yuri Hiranuma, piano educator Shoko Kojima, and famous Japanese composer Masashi Hirai. In 2013, she was admitted to the electronic organ major of the Department of Modern Instrumental Music and Percussion Music of Shanghai Conservatory of Music. During her undergraduate and graduate studies, she studied performance and creation with Professor Zhu Lei. She has won the Class A scholarship of the "Shanghai Government Scholarship for Foreign Students". Since 2002, Mayu Iritani has participated in the "Japan National Electronic Organ Competition" held by Yamaha, and has participated in many self-composed and self-performed concerts held by Yamaha across Japan.  

In 2011, she won the gold medal, the best prize, and the special prize of the jury of the "Tokushima Music Competition Electronic Organ College Division"; in 2011, she was invited to hold a solo concert at the "Tokushima Art and Culture Festival". 

For many years, Mayu Iritani has been active on the stages of China and Japan. In June 2014, she participated in the "China-Japan Concert" and "Electronic Organ Special Concert" for double keyboards; in July 2015, she presented the "Russian-French Concerto Special Concert" in cooperation with Zhao Lei, a famous Chinese erhu player, at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center and in August at the Shanghai Concert Hall; in September 2016, she held a special concert at the Consulate General of Japan in Shanghai; in October 2019, she held the "Mayu Iritani Electronic Organ Solo Concert" at the "Japan Kagawa Culture and Art Festival"; in January 2023, she was invited to hold a New Year's Eve concert with the erhu at the Yancheng Cinema. 

Nowadays, Mayu Iritani is fully committed to electronic organ and piano education during performances, and serves as the arranger of songs sung by many Chinese and Japanese choirs, composer of performances, and arranger of music. In addition, she has also served as the electronic organ concerto for the opera "L'elisir d'more " and served as the accompaniment and music producer of the World Voice Choir. With the international music vision of contemporary young Japanese performers, she showcases the diversified performance energy of electronic organs and contributes the infinite energy of musicians to the cultural exchanges between China and Japan.  

Main original works:"Colorful World", "Ordinary", "White as snow", "Endless". etc.

• Youth electronic keyboardist and music producer from China
• Signed artist with INSMUSIC WORLD PTE. LTD., Singapore
• Senior assistant to the renowned keyboard virtuoso and educator, Professor Zhu Lei
• Curator of InsMusic Lab.
• Champion of the Professional Group in the "3rd China Music Subsidiary Golden Bell Award - Electronic Keyboard Performance Exhibition"（2023）
• Gold Medal in the Youth Group of the "3rd Yamaha National Electronic Keyboard Competition"（2019）
• First Prize in the Classical Conservatory Group at the "Asia-Pacific Electronic Organ Competition"（2017）
• First Prize in the Solo Adult Group and Arranging Award in the "7th Ringway International Electronic Organ Competition"（2020）

Xie Guyuan has been invited to perform at various significant events, such as the 2nd National Music Conservatories' Electronic Organ Education Alliance Inaugural Conference, the Shanghai Conservatory of Music Sonata·Graduate Arts Festival, the Shanghai Citizens Culture Festival, Music China, and the 8th Shenzhen Piano Open Competition. He has also collaborated with the "New Classical Chamber Orchestra" on the cross-genre experimental rock concert "I LOVE ROCK & ROLL". His electronic band "Ad-libs Gauge" won the Best Ensemble Award at the Shanghai Electronic Keyboardist Competition. 

In 2023, Xie Guyuan was invited by his mentor to perform in the "Zhu Lei Electronic Ensemble Reunion Tour (Shanghai Station)" and the "Zhu Lei National Tour Teacher-Student Performance Sharing Session". In 2024, as a signed artist, he participated in the national tour "Zhu Lei Electronic Organ Educational Collection Tour Concert" and was also invited as a guest performer at the 2024 Magnolia International Music Festival "Key Into the Realm" concert.In 2025, he was invited as one of the lead actors in a large-scale instrumental drama on the history of the Chinese diaspora ‘Eight Letters’ in Hong Kong, organised by the Hong Kong Institute of Studies and the Fringe Club, and hosted by Singapore InsMusic World, which was featured in the China Music Weekly and reported in the Hong Kong Commercial Daily.