Yazhi Guo
suona
A well-known wind virtuoso, an instrument reformer, and a professor at Bard College US-China Music Institute, Mr. Yazhi Guo is recognized as one of the best Souna players in the world. And throughout his career, Mr. Guo has striven to integrate Chinese music with world music.
Guo was born into a musical family and grew up playing various instruments. His mother was an opera teacher, he began learning French horn at age 9, and at 14, he entered Shanxi, Jing Zhong Art School to learn two-strand strings and Souna. Guo later graduated from the Folk Music Department of the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing in 1990 and stayed on to teach there. In 1999, Guo was appointed as the Principal Souna by the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra. In 2012, Guo furthered his musical pursuits in the United States, where he gave lectures and concerts at colleges such as Harvard University, The University of the Arts, and Berklee College of Music. In 2015, upon completing his studies from Berklee, Guo received an Artist Diploma, and led the Berklee Jazz band to China and Singapore to showcase the fusion style of Souna and jazz band performances. During Guo’s illustrious career, he has won numerous awards: in 1998, Guo was the Grand Prize winner of the New York Pro Musicis International Award; in 2013, Guo was the recipient of the Hong Kong Artist of the Year Award; and in 2020, the recipient of Boston’s Best International Musician’s Award. In April 2021, he was featured on the cover of China’s authoritative music magazine, People's Music.
Guo has recorded dozens of solo albums, many of which were award winning: The Best Instrumental Performance Award for "Eight Thousand Miles’ Journey” chosen by the Chinese Audio Selection Committee in 2018; “The Dragon’s Chant” published by Taiwan Feng Chao Music in 2020, and nominated for the 18th American Independent Music Award’s “Best Crossover World Music Record;” and “Shuruaat” a collaboration with the Berklee Indian ensemble, which was nominated for the 2023 Grammy Award’s “Best World Music Record.”
Guo has made remarkable achievements in the research, development, and creation of musical instruments. In 1993, he won the second prize for scientific and technological progress from the Ministry of Culture of China for inventing the "Suona Huoxin." Since then, Guo has collaborated with numerous composers to premiere modern Souna works such as "Chinese Rhapsody," "Calling the Phoenix," "Traces No. 4," "Bauhinia," "The Desert River," "Camel Travel," and "Magical Land," ushering in a new era of Souna art development.
In recent years, Guo has invented the "Multi-tone Hulusi" and the "Guzheng Double-slot bridge Transposing," holding seven national patents for musical instrument inventions and utility models. In 2022, the Chinese National Orchestra Society honored him as one of "China's Top Ten Musical Instrument Innovators."
Guo is also a guest artist of the SilkRoad Ensemble, founded by Yo Yo Ma. Guo performed two nationwide tours with the SilkRoad Ensemble in 2023-2024, playing the music of the 150th anniversary of the American Railroads.
Guo continues to be a passionate educator and entrepreneur. In 2021, Guo co-founded the non-profit “American Academy of World Music” and serves as its first president. He works tirelessly to cultivate outstanding talents from multiethnic and cultural backgrounds, and to work together to promote his dream of world peace through music.