About Artist

 

Gu Lei is the founder and artistic director of the Washington Dunhuang Guzheng Academy, a renowned guzheng teaching institution in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. She began studying guzheng at an early age under the tutelage of distinguished professors He Baoquan and Sun Wenyan at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. With superb technique and a solid foundation, she won first place in the Shanghai Solo Competition for Traditional Chinese Instruments during her youth. Her outstanding talent earned her a special admission into the Zhejiang Song and Dance Ensemble as the youngest guzheng soloist in the troupe’s history.

 

After relocating to the United States, Ms. Gu founded the Washington Dunhuang Guzheng Academy in 2006, dedicating herself to the preservation and promotion of guzheng art overseas. Drawing from years of performance and teaching experience, she authored two guzheng textbooks—one for children and one for adults—creating a comprehensive, systematic, and practical teaching method that has been widely praised by her students. Her students, who span Maryland, Virginia, and many other states across the U.S., have frequently won gold medals in various competitions. Ms. Gu herself has repeatedly been recognized with the “Outstanding Instructor” award.

 

Committed to the philosophy of “spreading traditional Chinese culture through joyful learning,” Ms. Gu has long led her academy’s students in participating in cultural events organized by governments and communities at all levels. The Academy has been invited to perform at major events such as Chinese New Year celebrations, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, and television programs, garnering widespread acclaim. Under her leadership, the Washington Dunhuang Guzheng Academy has grown into a vital platform for cross-cultural exchange. Her performances with students have been featured at significant diplomatic occasions, including the Chinese Embassy Open House, China’s National Day Receptions, and U.S.-China diplomatic anniversary celebrations. With a blend of traditional elegance and modern creativity, their performances have served as a bridge connecting Chinese and American cultures.

 

Ms. Gu's artistic outreach has also extended deeply into mainstream American society. Her performances have graced prestigious venues such as the White House, U.S. Congress, United Nations, U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Transportation Safety Board, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Library of Congress, and the National Museum of Asian Art. Through performances and lectures, she has introduced the beauty of Chinese culture to audiences around the world. Over nearly two decades of teaching and cultural outreach, Ms. Gu has continuously explored and innovated, gradually developing a distinctive personal teaching style. Since the founding of the Academy, she has organized fifteen free guzheng concerts for the community. With an artistic style that blends Eastern and Western elements and embraces diversity, she has broken away from traditional performance formats to build a stage style rich in contemporary expression and artistic appeal.