From “The Great Wall” to “the Rock”, Jing Xia is a professional Chinese zheng(guzheng) player based in St. John’s, Canada. Xia started learning the instrument at six years old and completed her bachelor’s degree in guzheng performance in 2013. Since moving to Canada in 2015, her musical interest has expanded from traditional, folk, and contemporary guzheng music to new musical possibilities through intercultural, improvisational, and experimental music-making. Xia has played with various renowned musicians and musical groups, including Paul Bendzsa, Mei Han, Shanneyganock, Vancouver Intercultural Orchestra, and the Dutch Roadrunner ensemble. She has been active in the multicultural musical scenes in North America and performed in diverse musical events, including Sound Symposium, George Street Festival, and Vancouver International Jazz Festival. Driven by a passion to share Chinese culture and promote intercultural exchange, Xia formed the Light Wind Ensemble, the first Chinese instrumental group in Newfoundland, in 2019. Besides her musical practices, Xia is currently a PhD candidate in ethnomusicology at the Memorial University of Newfoundland.
