Embedded Files
Dr. Di Zhang
Dr. Di Zhang
MA, Ph.D., Music – York University
Ethnomusicologist | Performer | Educator | Researcher | Improviser
Di Zhang (MA, Ph.D., Music – York University) is a performer-scholar active in both Canada’s music scene and academic circles. She has performed at major venues including the Toronto Music Garden, Wilfrid Laurier University, York University, and the University of Toronto. Her lecture-performances have been featured at prestigious forums such as the Arts & Letters Club of Toronto. Di’s performance tours have taken her across Canada—from Vancouver and Montreal to Prince Edward Island and Saskatoon—as well as internationally to Macau, Mainland China, and Portugal.In addition to her performance career, Di specializes in ethnomusicology, contemporary music improvisation, and composition. She has led numerous projects, including York University’s Global Improvisation Lab, World Music Ensemble, and the Bayin Ensemble, which integrates world music traditions with innovative improvisational approaches. Her original compositions and improvisations are featured on the album The Path to Contemporary, a ground-breaking yangqin recording that fuses traditional Chinese music with elements of jazz and contemporary music. This pioneering album features her original works and improvisations for yangqin, blending jazz and contemporary influences. It is also highlighted in a video series showcasing Live Transcontinental Improvisation.Her academic research focuses on the cultural history of the yangqin, improvisation pedagogy, and the influence of the Silk Road and political shifts in China on Chinese music’s evolution. She also critically examines limitations within China’s music education system and proposes new models for teaching improvisation. Di recently presented “The Limitation of the Chinese Music Education System in Modern Society” and led workshops on “Exploration of Contemporary Chinese Music Improvisation and Musicianship Pedagogy” at Northern Illinois University. Currently, her research explores the intersection of music and health, with a particular focus on aging. She recently presented “Reflections on Chinese Music Education and Live Performances: Enhancing Emotional, Cognitive, and Physical Well-Being for Seniors in Ontario” at the annual conference of the University of Ottawa’s Music and Health Research Institute.Deeply committed to promoting traditional and new music, Di continues to explore innovative blends of world music elements with contemporary improvisation and composition. Her work seeks to uncover new possibilities for how music can benefit the human brain and emotional well-being, inspired by cross-cultural creativity and meaningful musical engagement.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse