出生于上海,少年时期随叔外公、著名广陵派古琴家张子谦先生学习古琴,深得其旨。其后又参学于多位古琴名家,先后有吴景略、吴文光、姚丙炎、龚一、林友仁、成公亮先生。1985年毕业于上海音乐学院,现为上海音乐学院民族音乐系副教授,硕士生导师。
戴晓莲承继了深厚传统琴学底蕴,技巧娴熟、功力深厚,博众家之长,是中国传统古琴音乐的一代传人,同时她又在现代音乐社会中处于新音乐之前沿。她多次在国际、国内外艺术节和音乐会上演奏古琴。她的古琴演奏艺术具有个性又不失韵味,是寓广陵派跌宕流丽的风格中,注入自己富于典雅变幻的独特音色,对音乐具有内在深刻的诠释,她对动、静态的乐曲都能演奏得极具张力,处理细腻且富有层次。
近十多年来她多次与国内外著名音乐家、作曲家和知名的乐团合作,以古琴独特的艺术个性以及中国的元素,参与高难度的多声部重奏、现代室内乐综合组合等等音乐形式的演奏、创新和实践,极大地开拓了古琴这一中国古老传统乐器的新的能量和空间,在国内外音乐界具有一定影响。
她的古琴教学具有特色,所授的多名学生多次在国内比赛获得金、银、铜奖。
她又是积极的古琴文化的活动家,2009年策划组办了“纪念古琴大师张子谦先生诞辰一百一十周年”研讨会,编辑出版了张先生的“操缦艺术”CD唱片。策划、组办了2007年第一届全国专业音乐院校教学以及古琴与其他乐器组合研讨会,组织了“渔樵问答”音乐会和“古琴名家音乐会”。
在港、台、法国及国内制作出版了多品种个人演奏专辑CD、VCD。
学术研究上,她参与学校的科研项目、古琴打谱研究、理论研究等。见附录
她为中国现代古琴音乐历史起了承上启下的作用。在三十年的艺术活动中,其艺术成果被人们普遍所认同,为现代古琴艺术的发展做出了一定的成绩。
Brief Bio
Dai Xiaolian was born in Shanghai and started to study the artofguqinplaying from an early age, under the tutelage of hergrand-uncle, the renownedguqinmaster Zhang Ziqian from theGuangling School. Thus herguqinplaying was very muchgrounded in the essence of his teaching. Later on she also receivedguidance from severalguqinmasters including Wu Jinglue, WuWenguang, Yao Bingyan, Gong Yi, Lin Youren, and Cheng Gongliang.Dai Xiaolian graduated from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music in1985. She is now an associate professor of Chinese Music andsupervisor of the Master’s Program at the conservatory.
Dai Xiaolian has inherited the rich foundation of thetraditionalqinstudy, and with consummate skills her playinghas become ever more masterful. Dai Xiaolian has absorbed the bestfrom various schools of teachings and is the foremost exponent ofthe traditional Chinese art ofguqinmusic. At the same time,she is also at the cutting edge of new music and active in thecontemporary music scene, performing at numerous art festivals andconcerts, both in China and abroad. Her unique styleofguqinplaying has a special appealing quality, embodyingthe flowing and lucid manner of Guangling style, yet injecting intoeach piece her own touch of varying treatment rich in elegance. Herinterpretation of music pieces is deeply intellectual. She can playboth fast and slow pieces with rigor, applying sophisticatedtreatment befitting each.
Since the 1990’s, Dai Xiaolian has collaborated with manyrenowned musicians, composers, and orchestras, both in China andabroad, utilizing the unique artistic qualities and the Chineseelement ofguqin, participating in various performances andexperimentations of ensemble of multiple instrumentalists,contemporary chamber music assembly, etc. She has been wellrecognized for her efforts in helping to energize and broaden themusic space forguqin, which is such an ancient instrumentfrom a long Chinese tradition.
Dai Xiaolian’sguqinteaching is quite distinguished. Manyof her students have received top awards in various Chinese musiccompetitions held throughout China.
She is also actively involved inguqinrelated culturalactivities. In 2009 she led the planning and organizing of theconference to commemorate the 110th birthday ofGuqinMasterZhang Ziqian, and edited and published theCD“TheQinRepertoire of Zhang Zi-qian”. She also planned andorganized the first all China conference on music conservatoryteaching and the ensemble ofguqinand other music instrumentsin 2007, as well as coordinated for the concert“Dialogue between aFisherman & a Woodcutter” and “GuqinMastersConcert”.
Dai Xiaolian has produced and published a numberofqinperformance CDs and VCDs/DVDs in China, Hong Kong,Taiwan and France, please see attached appendix for a fulllist.
Academically, she has participated in various research projectsat the conservatory, including research onguqindapu(interpretation of old tablature), and musicology research,etc. Please see attached appendix for a list of her researchpapers.
Dai Xiaolian has helped to form an essential link betweenhistorical and contemporary Chineseguqinmusic. During hercareer inguqinart spanning three decades so far, she hasmade significant contributions to the development ofcontemporaryguqinart. Her artistic achievements have beenwidely acknowledged and well recognized.