Xia Feiyun

Xia Feiyun is a conductor of great renown in the contemporary Chinese music world, and the first formally-trained professional conductor of the genre in China. 

He was born in 1935 in Zhejiang and entered the middle school affiliated to the Shanghai Conservatory of Music in 1953 to study violin as a specialism. Three years later, he entered the Conservatory proper to pursue an undergraduate programme, majoring in Orchestral Conducting. He graduated cum

laude in 1961 and joined the faculty to teach.

He was seconded to the Shanghai Peking Opera Troupe between 1969 and 1978 as Principal Conductor of the mixed orchestra for Taking Tiger Mountain by Stratagem.  Between 1992 and 1993, when he was Resident Conductor of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, he took the Orchestra on tour to Canada. He won a Special Conducting Award at the 3rd China Gold Record Award in1995. In early 2001, he led the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra on tour to Austria and Germany, the highlight of which was a concert at the Goldener Saal of the Musikverein in Vienna. He was Principal Guest Conductor of the Singapore Chinese Orchestra between 2001and 2002. In June 2016, he was presented with a Special Achievement Award for Outstanding Orchestral Conducting - Chinese Music at the 5th Chinese Music Forum and ‘Ovation Awards’.