Bio - JIE MA

From a long line of traditional Chinese musicians, Jie Ma began studying music and playing the pipa at age 5. She became a professional musician at age 14. Jie received her Bachelor of Music performance degree from one of China's top music schools, Tianjin Conservatory. Jie studied in China under celebrated pipa and ruan grand masters such as Fandi Wang, Dehai Liu, Yuzhong Kuang, and Jiliang Lin. She was a staff teacher at conservatory of Liao Ning Normal University for Traditional Chinese music performances, Chinese music ensemble, and Chinese Music and culture Appreciation.

After coming to the United States in 2004, Jie began exploring the possibilities of blending traditional pipa technique with Western music and sounds from all over the world and culture. Jie enjoys playing traditional Chinese arrangements, creating her own works, and fusing Chinese and other styles to create a unique sound that is all hers. She is a consummate performer and improviser. In her continuing effort to push the boundaries of the pipa in many different contexts, Jie has played with a wide variety of musicians from a number of different genres, including jazz, country, blues, experimental, and electronics. Jie's impressive technique, exotic sound, musical curiosity, and tremendous stage presence are not to be missed.

In pursuit of her passion for music and the pipa, Jie has performed in China, Japan, England, and at a wide variety of venues throughout the United States (particularly in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York), as a soloist, in ensembles, and as a featured performer. In 2009, Jie was referred to in the U.K. newspaper, the Guardian, as one of the "notable" pipa players in the West.

From classic Chinese music to modern and contemporary compositions, from acoustic settings to electronic expressions, Jie’s music reflects Chinese cultural heritage as well as multi-cultural influences. It celebrates the diversity and rich culture of the world and the human spirit we all share. Jie Ma has dedicated herself to inherit and promote the rich musical legacy of classical pipa and ruan performance. At the same time—as performer, composer, and producer—she has taken her music into entirely new directions. Her commitment to technical precision, her love of soulful and rich expression, her unique sound, her endless intellectual/musical curiosity, and her love of creativity have endeared her to diverse audiences around the world.

Jie is residing in the city of Los Angeles and Idyllwild of California, actively creating, performing,
and recording music in US domestically and internationally. Her music healing project
MA STUDIO EXPERIENCES can be explored at www.mastudioexperiences.com