Mao Qinghua was born in Dongtai, Jiangsu, in 1985. She began learning the erhu under Hang Xiaochun at the age of seven. In 1995, she won a Class One Award at the ‘Longguang Cup’ Instrumental Competition. She entered the middle school affiliated to the Nanjing University of the Arts where she received erhu training under the famous teacher, Ma Youde, and participated in the CD recording of The Maestro Teachers Erhu by playing several etudes such as The Flight of the Bumble Bee, Moto Perpetuo etc.. In 2001, she performed erhu solo at the concert celebrating the 50th year of Professor Ma Youde’s teaching career. Her well-honed performance of Zigeunerweisen won universal acclaim in the music circles. In 2004, at the recommendation of her mentor, Zhou Wei, she entered the Central Conservatory of Music to study Chinese Music with outstanding entrance examination results. As a freshman, she also won three scholarships for specialism, music theory and solfeggio. Between 2004 and 2008, she trained in erhu under the famous virtuoso Professor Liu Changfu, then gaohu under Tian Zaili and banhu under Li Heng. In 2005, she won an Outstanding Award – Youth Section at the “Zhonglu Cup” International Erhu Competition. While still studying, she joined the Central Conservatory Chinese Orchestra, with which she participated in the Root of the Chinese Concert held in Taiyuan Shanxi; the variety show for the summit meet of the Ten ASEAN Member Countries in Nanning, Guangxi; and the variety show in honour of the Prime Minister of Indonesia’s visit to China held at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. Mao joined the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra in 2008, and is currently a musician with the Zhonghu section.
