Intertidal Fusion

Intertidal Ensemble brings Chinese traditional and Western classical instruments together, exploring shared repertoire, intercultural collaboration, and engaging performances that invite diverse audiences to experience music beyond borders.

An empty contemporary concert hall stage set for a Chinese–Western fusion performance, captured in photographic realism. At the front, a neat semicircle of music stands holds open scores marked with both Western notation and simplified Chinese characters. Behind them, pairs of chairs hold instruments: pipa, dizi, and yangqin interspersed with cello, clarinet, and French horn. Overhead rigging and acoustic panels recede into darkness. Cool, even stage wash lighting creates crisp, neutral illumination with gentle shadows under each chair. Framed from a slightly elevated, wide-angle perspective, the scene feels orderly, refined, and quietly energetic, suggesting meticulous preparation and cross-cultural collaboration.

Meet the Ensemble

A polished black concert grand piano with its lid fully raised stands center stage beside an elegant Chinese guzheng with dark rosewood bridges and shimmering silk-metal strings. Both instruments rest on a warm-toned wooden stage floor, with neatly arranged Western and traditional Chinese percussion in the dim background. A single overhead spotlight and subtle side stage lights create photographic realism, casting soft reflections on the piano’s lacquered surface and gentle highlights along the guzheng’s carved edges. Captured at eye level in a wide horizontal composition, the image feels professional and poised, with a calm, anticipatory atmosphere that suggests an intercultural performance about to begin.

Dr Isabel Benito Gutiérrez

Creative Director | Composer | Arranger

A meticulously arranged tabletop scene displays printed concert programmes and workshop flyers for a Chinese–Western fusion ensemble on a smooth, light oak surface. The main programme features a minimalist design: a stylized shoreline where ink-brush waves merge into staff lines and musical notes. Beside it, a glossy booklet lies slightly open, revealing photos of Chinese instruments alongside Western orchestral ones. A slim, black fountain pen and a delicate ceramic tea cup with pale green jasmine tea complete the composition. Natural afternoon light from a nearby window casts soft, angled shadows, creating a calm, professional atmosphere. Shot from directly above, the photographic image emphasizes clarity, organization, and thoughtful design.

Professor Jian Li – 李健

Erhu

A high-resolution, photographic close-up of a music stand holding a fusion ensemble score in a softly lit rehearsal room. The pages show carefully engraved Western staff notation interwoven with occasional jianpu numerals and Chinese performance markings in neat calligraphic strokes. In the blurred background, instrument cases for both Chinese and Western instruments lean against an acoustic panel wall, their mixed shapes hinting at diversity. Warm overhead lighting produces gentle, even illumination across the paper, with subtle shadows along the spiral binding. Captured at a shallow angle with selective focus on the central measures, the image conveys meticulous artistry, cultural dialogue, and a focused, scholarly yet inviting mood.

Master Lianjun Yu – 于连军

Xun

A close-up, photographic image of a Chinese erhu and a Western violin resting side by side on a charcoal-grey felt rehearsal chair. The erhu’s dark, polished wood and python-skin resonator contrast with the violin’s honey-colored varnish and fine spruce grain, their bows crossing gently in the foreground. Soft, diffused studio lighting from the left creates delicate highlights on the tuning pegs and metal strings, leaving the background in understated blur. Shot with a shallow depth of field from a slightly elevated angle, the composition emphasizes texture, craftsmanship, and dialogue between traditions, conveying a thoughtful, professional mood suitable for a fusion ensemble.

Eric Ton – 佟明岳

Cello | Doublebass | Composer | Arranger

A polished black concert grand piano with its lid fully raised stands center stage beside an elegant Chinese guzheng with dark rosewood bridges and shimmering silk-metal strings. Both instruments rest on a warm-toned wooden stage floor, with neatly arranged Western and traditional Chinese percussion in the dim background. A single overhead spotlight and subtle side stage lights create photographic realism, casting soft reflections on the piano’s lacquered surface and gentle highlights along the guzheng’s carved edges. Captured at eye level in a wide horizontal composition, the image feels professional and poised, with a calm, anticipatory atmosphere that suggests an intercultural performance about to begin.

Yiwen Liu – 刘艺文

Violin

An empty contemporary concert hall stage set for a Chinese–Western fusion performance, captured in photographic realism. At the front, a neat semicircle of music stands holds open scores marked with both Western notation and simplified Chinese characters. Behind them, pairs of chairs hold instruments: pipa, dizi, and yangqin interspersed with cello, clarinet, and French horn. Overhead rigging and acoustic panels recede into darkness. Cool, even stage wash lighting creates crisp, neutral illumination with gentle shadows under each chair. Framed from a slightly elevated, wide-angle perspective, the scene feels orderly, refined, and quietly energetic, suggesting meticulous preparation and cross-cultural collaboration.

Zitong Niu – 牛梓同

Chinese and Western Percussion

A polished black concert grand piano with its lid fully raised stands center stage beside an elegant Chinese guzheng with dark rosewood bridges and shimmering silk-metal strings. Both instruments rest on a warm-toned wooden stage floor, with neatly arranged Western and traditional Chinese percussion in the dim background. A single overhead spotlight and subtle side stage lights create photographic realism, casting soft reflections on the piano’s lacquered surface and gentle highlights along the guzheng’s carved edges. Captured at eye level in a wide horizontal composition, the image feels professional and poised, with a calm, anticipatory atmosphere that suggests an intercultural performance about to begin.

Xingyu Niu – 牛星宇

Piano

An empty contemporary concert hall stage set for a Chinese–Western fusion performance, captured in photographic realism. At the front, a neat semicircle of music stands holds open scores marked with both Western notation and simplified Chinese characters. Behind them, pairs of chairs hold instruments: pipa, dizi, and yangqin interspersed with cello, clarinet, and French horn. Overhead rigging and acoustic panels recede into darkness. Cool, even stage wash lighting creates crisp, neutral illumination with gentle shadows under each chair. Framed from a slightly elevated, wide-angle perspective, the scene feels orderly, refined, and quietly energetic, suggesting meticulous preparation and cross-cultural collaboration.

Xiaohan Chen – 陈笑晗

Erhu | Communication & Marketing Officer