Pipa Musician Gao Hong will perform her new album Symphony of Self with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra at Temple Church in London on Saturday 17th January.
Gao Hong will play the Pipa alongside the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra in a live concert performance of concertos from her new album, Symphony of Self.
The performance will be given at the majestic Temple Church in central London, a church dating back to the 12th century.
It will be held from 7:30 – 9:00 pm on Saturday, 17th January.
Gao Hong is a renowned Pipa virtuoso and composer, originally from Luoyang, Hennan province of China. She has been introducing listeners to the Pipa for decades, first picking up the Pipa at 8 before joining a travelling musical group at the age of 12. She now lives in the US and works as a professor of Chinese Musical Instruments at Carleton College.
She reaches a striking new artistic pinnacle with Symphony of Self, a suite of four original concertos that showcase the remarkable expressive range of the pipa. Gao Hong played excerpts from the album for BBC In Tune.
Drawing on the ancient Pudong pipa tradition while embracing the breadth and colour of a full Western orchestra, Gao crafts a richly textured sound world where centuries-old artistry meets bold contemporary imagination. The album’s concertos reimagine the Chinese lute for the modern symphonic stage, offering a fresh and dynamic perspective on the pipa, which is rarely heard alongside a full orchestra.
Symphony of Self reflects Gao Hong’s lifelong dedication to innovation, cultural connection, and musical storytelling, celebrating a career defined by curiosity, artistry, and boundary-crossing creativity.
The album was recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
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