Wu Fei's Music Daily

Good morning, afternoon, and evening,

I recorded this two-track guzheng night song today. During my artist residency at Zoellner Arts Center of Lehigh University, I played two Well-Being concerts. One of them was held at the Linderman Library (photos below). I was very inspired by the beautiful environment. All the hard surfaces in the space created a long and deep acoustic effect when I played the guzheng. The energy and concentration from the audience had a direct impact on my improvisation. In the middle of the concert, I heard soft snoring. That brought smiles to my face. To be able to have a sweet dream or deep rest is indeed precious. Hope this piece brings you a moment of deep rest and relaxation.

Wu Fei 吴非

wufeimusic.com

wufeimusic.bandcamp.com

Good morning, afternoon, and evening,

Thank you all for your patience while I was away on tour in the last two weeks. I have retuned home soundly.

Today’s piece is my guzheng interpretation of the guqin 古琴 (7-string 3000-yr old Chinese zither) piece Feng Ru Song (风入松, “Wind through pines”). It is an ancient melody traditionally considered to be composed by the Jin dynasty scholar and musician Jī Kāng (224–263 A.D. 嵇康). I recorded it today.

Poet Wu Wenying (吴文英) in the Song Dynasty (960–1279 A.D.), wrote the poem under the same title Feng Ru Song lyric inspired by this melody. The poem is a ci (词) poem rather than the guqin lyric itself. A ci (词) is a type of classical Chinese lyric poetry that originated in the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907 A.D.) and blossomed in the Song Dynasty. They were originally written as song lyrics set to preexisting tunes (each identified by a cipai 词牌 or tune title) with lines of irregular length determined by the melody.

When I was practicing guzheng in San Francisco facing the Pacific Ocean (see photo above), all of a sudden, this ci poem entered my mind:

Original Chinese:听风听雨过清明，愁草瘗花铭。楼前绿暗分携路，一丝柳，一寸柔情。料峭春寒中酒，交加晓梦啼莺。西园日日扫林亭，依旧赏新晴。黄蜂频扑秋千索，有当时、纤手香凝。惆怅双鸳不到，幽阶一夜苔生。

English Translation:Hearing wind and rain, I pass the Qingming days,Sadly composing a dirge for fallen flowers.Before the tower, the parting road lies deep in green;Each willow thread, each inch of tender feeling.In chill spring cold I drown in wine,Startled from dawn dreams by crying orioles.Day after day I sweep the western garden’s grove and pavilion,Still enjoying the fresh clear sky.Yellow bees frequent the swing’s ropes—There once lingered the fragrance of her hands.Melancholy that her paired shoes do not come;On the secluded steps, overnight, moss has grown.

I’d like to thank my dear friends in California who hosted me in their beautiful and loving pavilion.

In the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing my updated concert tours that I am super excited about! Stay tuned!

Hope this piece brings you a moment of relaxation.

Wu Fei 吴非

wufeimusic.com

wufeimusic.bandcamp.com

Good morning, afternoon, and evening,

I recorded this solo guzheng and vocal improvisation today. It was inspired by my memory of hiking up a long stretch of the ancient Great Wall in Huailai County (怀来）of Hebei Province in China this summer (photo above). My husband and I used to hike on this part of the Great Wall every weekend when we lived in Beijing from 2010-2015. This year, we took our two children here. We hiked for 6 hours on the wall. There was not another single person in sight the entire time. Tomorrow, I’ll be flying to San Francisco to start my fall tour with Abigail Washburn. Our first show will be at The Freight in Berkeley, CA on October 9th. Our touring schedule has been listed in this post here. Hope to see you in one of the concerts! I’ll resume my daily music as soon as I return home from this tour! Thank you all for your generous support and patience!

Wu Fei 吴非

More tour dates: wufeimusic.com

Albums: wufeimusic.bandcamp.com

Good morning, afternoon, and evening,

Thank you for subscribing to Wu Fei’s Music Daily! I’ve received emails asking where to find my newsletters about upcoming concerts and tour dates. Substack has been a great home for me, though I also announce my tour dates and concert info on my website and social media. I know it can feel overwhelming to keep up with it all. Thank you all for your support over the years!

Today’s solo guzheng improvisation is inspired by the three blossoms on my crabapple tree (photo above). It’s not common to have fall blossoms—crabapples usually bloom in the spring, during the first 7–10 days of April. This year has been abnormally hot, and the trees are reacting to the severe climate.

I’m also very excited to share that I’ll be on tour soon with my dear friend, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and banjo player Abigail Washburn. We’ll be hitting a few cities over the coming two weeks. Hope to see you all in person!

Oct. 9, Friday, 7:30pm — The Freight, Berkeley, CA (duo)Tickets: https://secure.thefreight.org/gala/16038-gala

Oct. 15, Thursday, 12pm — Well Being Concert, Zoellner Arts Center, Lehigh University, PA (Wu Fei solo, SOLD OUT)

Oct. 15, Thursday, 6pm — Well Being Concert, Zoellner Arts Center, Lehigh University, PA (Wu Fei solo)Tickets: https://zoellner.cas.lehigh.edu/content/well-being-concert-wu-fei

Oct. 16, Friday, 7:30pm — Zoellner Arts Center, Lehigh University, PA (duo)Tickets: https://zoellner.cas.lehigh.edu/content/wu-fei-abigail-washburn

Oct. 17, Saturday, 7:30pm — DROM, New York, NY (duo, presented by World Music Institute)Tickets: https://worldmusicinstitute.org/wu-fei-abigail-washburn/

Oct. 18, Sunday, 4pm — The Mansion at Strathmore (duo, SOLD OUT)

Oct. 18, Sunday, 7pm — The Mansion at Strathmore (duo, SOLD OUT)

For the Strathmore concerts, though the purchase link is no longer available, Strathmore suggests guests add their name to the waitlist here in case tickets become available.

Thank you all again for your tremendous support!

Wu Fei 吴非wufeimusic.comwufeimusic.bandcamp.com

Good morning, afternoon, and evening,

Happy Moon Festival (Mid-Autumn Festival) and Sukkot if you celebrate them!

This last weekend, during the celebration of the Moon Festival 中秋节 aka the Mid-Autumn Festival, I learned that Chinese singer-songwriter Liu Huan 刘欢 passed away (1963–2026). He just turned 63 last month. Liu Huan was one of China's most celebrated and recognizable singers, whose songs have been known by 1.4 billion people across multiple generations since the 1980s. I grew up listening to his songs, whether written by him or by other composers. His singing was unique and heart-pounding. One of the songs he made famous is called The Crescent Moon 弯弯的月亮, composed and written by Li Haiying 李海鹰. It is one of my favorite Mandopop songs. Today's guzheng solo piece I recorded was inspired by this song. I used to sing this song to put my children to bed when they were babies. Now, when my kids hear me sing it, it still brings them a lot of comfort and helps them fall asleep, while I connect to my childhood at the same time. Hope this piece connects you to your loved ones who are no longer with us in this world.

Wu Fei 吴非

wufeimusic.com

wufeimusic.bandcamp.com

Good morning, afternoon, and evening,

I recorded this night song for all the friends who have recently lost loved ones. There have been several deaths among my family and friends lately. I hope this night song connects you with those you've lost through sweet memories.

Wu Fei 吴非

wufeimusic.com

wufeimusic.bandcamp.com

Good morning, afternoon, and evening,

Today’s three-track guzheng composition is inspired by the humming birds at my home in Nashville, Tennessee. This year, we have had many more humming birds that come to our feeders. I notice that there is a mean one who always chases the other humming birds away whenever they come close to the feeders. It gets intense when the other weaker ones want to eat. It is a bit mind boggling that such a fragile and elegant creature can be so mean. Every species has its own bullies.

I used a piece of thin cloth under the guzheng strings to create a muted sound. Hope this piece brings you fun energy!

Wu Fei 吴非

wufeimusic.com

wufeimusic.bancamp.com

Good morning, afternoon, and evening,

Yesterday I was walking in a forest in West Nashville when I stopped at a patch of white flowers. Two monarch butterflies were resting on a cluster of white flowers (photo above). Every time I am this close to butterflies, I gaze at their wings for as long as they stay on the flowers. Today’s solo guzheng piece is inspired by this precious moment.

I went looking for a poem to go with it and landed on Zhang Bi, a poet of the late Tang / Five Dynasties period (active before 940 CE). His Butterflies is a short poem:

蝴蝶儿，晚春时。阿娇初著淡黄衣，倚窗学画伊。还似花间见，双双对对飞。无端和泪拭胭脂，惹教双翅垂。

Translation:

Butterflies, in late spring.A young girl in pale yellow, leaning at the window, learning to paint them.As if seen among the flowers, flying pair by pair.For no reason, tears fall and smear her rouge—making even the painted wings droop.

Hope this piece brings you a moment of joy to begin your week!

Wu Fei 吴非

wufeimusic.com (new concerts updated)

Good morning, afternoon, and evening,

I am excited to share this superpower solo guzheng improvisation I recorded today, and my new concert tour dates for 2026–2027. There are still more concerts being confirmed. Please stay tuned here or on my website https://www.wufeimusic.com/concerts for the latest updates.

Can’t wait to head to your cities!

2026

Oct. 9 – The Freight, Berkeley, CAOct. 15 – Zoellner Arts Center, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PAOct. 16 – Zoellner Arts Center, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PAOct. 17 – World Music Institute, DROM, New York, NYOct. 18 – The Mansion at Strathmore, North Bethesda, MDDec. 27 – The Warren Miller Performing Arts Center, Big Sky, MT

2027

Feb. 7 – North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh, NCFeb. 22–24 – Agnes Scott College Residency, Atlanta, GAFeb. 25 – Barking Legs Theater, Chattanooga, TNMar. 5 – Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts, Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WYApr. 9–10 – Big Ears Boston, Cambridge, MAApr. 29 – Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Toronto, CanadaApr. 30 – Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Toronto, CanadaMay 21 – West Las Vegas Library (NEW), Las Vegas, NVMay 22 – West Charleston Library Lecture Hall, Las Vegas, NVMay 23 – Summerlin Library Theater, Las Vegas, NVSep. 15 – The Stone Residency at The New School, New York, NYSep. 16 – The Stone Residency at The New School, New York, NYSep. 17 – The Stone Residency at The New School, New York, NYSep. 18 – The Stone Residency at The New School, New York, NY

Bookings Contacts:Désirée Halac, [email protected]: +1.646.894.4021EU: +34.633.30.8484

Laura Duni, Managerial [email protected]: +1.484.515.5003

Tickets and details:

https://www.wufeimusic.com/concerts

I recorded a new guzheng improv thinking of Dolly Parton who passed away in Nashville. I also live in Nashville. She’s been an inspiration to me. I always dreamed of meeting her but never got the chance. I never expected to feel so heartbroken when any celebrity dies, but her passing has been really difficult. On the day I heard she died, I had to distract myself from crying all evening by helping my son with his homework. Dolly loved butterflies. She’s one now: light, free, still floating around Nashville busy working, being beautiful and brings joy to people.

Wu Fei 吴非

Wufeimusic.com