Xufei Yang

Born in Beijing and now based in the U.K., Xuefei Yang is acclaimed as one of the world’s finest classical guitarists. Born following the Cultural Revolution, an era where Western music and instruments were banned, the fascinating story of Fei’s rise to the world stage is that of a musical pioneer. She was the first-ever guitarist in China to enter a music school, and became the first to launch an international professional career.

Prodigious musical talent was evident at all stages. Her first public appearance at the age of ten, at the China International Guitar Festival, received such acclaim that the Spanish Ambassador in China immediately presented her with a concert guitar. The composer Rodrigo attended her debut concert in Madrid when she was fourteen and, in 1995, when John Williams came to Beijing, he was so impressed with her playing that he gave two of his own Smallman guitars to her Conservatory, especially for Fei and other top students to play.

She was the first Chinese student to be awarded a full international scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music in London, and was honored with the Principal’s Prize. As a professional musician, she has performed concerts in forty countries throughout the Europe, Asia and North America.