Ensemble gives cellists an intimate voice

Traveling show

Sichuan Opera discovers the world's a stage

"I don't want to sit there and whine about how poor the situation of chamber music is. I cannot wait for chamber music to become popular among audiences. I have to go out there and plant the seed," he says.

The ensemble, which started with six members and now numbers 40, has won recognition after touring around the country with more than 300 performances. Since 2010, the ensemble has traveled around the world, collaborating with renowned orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam.

One of the most memorable performances his ensemble gave in Beijing was a concert held inside the Forbidden City in 2012. As a part of the charity programs of the National Center for the Performing Arts that year, Chu led his students to play works adapted from the music of the 1987 version of the TV production, Dream of The Red Chamber, composed by musician Wang Liping.

"There were several big sound amplifiers near the stage, which I didn't like because they distorted the sound of our instruments, he says, adding that the audience should be able to "savor not only the skill of the musicians but also the sound of the 100-year-old instrument".

After embarking on a musical journey at age 8 under the influence of his father, established Chinese cellist Zhu Yongning, Beijing native Chu released his first solo album when he was 13.

Chu's commitment to chamber music is derived from decades of performing in Europe since 1983. In 1987, he graduated from the Conservatoire de Paris with the award Premier Prix, the first Chinese to win the top honor since 1949.

One of the beneficiaries of Chu's chamber music education is Li Cheng, a member of his ensemble.

"We went to really remote towns and played full-length recitals. We had conversations with kids and presented music they had never listened to before, which was wonderful," says Li. "Chu always quotes from his French teacher, who said that if the music touches your heart, it will resonate after the sound stops. When we perform together, I can feel how the music still lingers on, even though the sound is gone."