Today we’d like to introduce you to Chenxi Zhuxi.
Hi Chenxi, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Although we know each other about ten years ago, our duo officially began three years ago during a performance at Google. We collaborated on a piece featuring the erhu and pipa, and it was a great success, receiving a very warm response from the audience. After that, we created many videos together, and it naturally became a tradition to release a new work each year. We have continued this journey for the past three years.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Like any creative partnership, there have been challenges along the way. On the musical side, those challenges have been a relatively small part of the journey. Since both of us began studying music at a young age and have spent many years developing as performers, we share a strong foundation and a natural understanding when we work together. That has made the artistic process feel smooth and enjoyable, even when we are refining new ideas.
The greater challenge has been finding time. We both have our own careers, responsibilities, and families, so coordinating schedules and creating space to rehearse can sometimes be the most difficult part. Because of that, we have learned to make every rehearsal focused, efficient, and meaningful.
What has helped us most is the trust and connection we share as collaborators. We often understand each other quickly and are able to align on the same vision, which makes every challenge much easier to overcome.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Our duo is made up of two artists whose backgrounds combine musical excellence, innovation, and professional achievement.
Zhuxi Wang is an accomplished pipa performer, musician, and a respected data analyst at Google. She graduated from Peking University, one of China’s most prestigious institutions. From a young age, she was recognized as a featured pipa soloist in traditional Chinese orchestras and received extensive professional training through a variety of elite ensembles and performance programs. After coming to the United States, she has performed on major stages across the country and has received international performance awards. She has also released a number of original and featured pipa works, many of which can be found on YouTube.
Chenxi Peng is not only an accomplished performer, but also a music therapist and music entrepreneur. She is the co-founder of a North American music technology company and has achieved notable success across multiple areas of the music industry, including music education, creative product development, and community impact. Her work reflects a strong commitment to expanding the role of music in both artistic and everyday life.
What sets us apart is that we bring together two different yet complementary paths—high-level artistry, cross-disciplinary professional experience, and a shared passion for making traditional music relevant and inspiring for today’s audiences.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Many people think of traditional Chinese music as something classical, serious, and closely tied to the past. While we deeply respect that tradition, we also want to show that it can be fresh, exciting, and meaningful for today’s audiences.
Our music is rooted in traditional culture, but we approach it with a modern and creative mindset. We enjoy bringing new ideas to traditional instruments and creating performances that keep their unique beauty while feeling current and relatable. Our repertoire often includes music inspired by films, television, popular songs, and works originally written for other instruments, which we then reinterpret through the erhu and pipa.
Because of this, audiences often experience our music as something new and surprising. They can enjoy the elegance and emotional depth of traditional instruments while also feeling the energy and creativity of modern arrangements.
Our goal is to help traditional Chinese music grow into a new era—something people not only respect, but truly enjoy, share, and connect with.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://youtu.be/8uJo7hOenpk
