A native of China, Zishi Liu is a Boston based saxophonist and music curator who was welcomed as a ‘surprise’ (The Bay State Banner) to the Boston jazz scene.

As a performer and composer, Zishi’s music seeks to create and resolve new tensions between familiar and foreign themes. The melancholic aspects of Coltrane's later work which incorporates Eastern concepts of meditation and emptiness serve as a departure point for his music.

His childhood coincided with a pivotal moment in 90s Asian pop music. As China reopened to the West, Chinese musical culture rapidly redefined itself, synthesizing Western pop harmonies and R&B stylings with the lyricality and sentiment of Chinese ballads.

Zishi has toured extensively in the U.S., China, Malaysia, and Singapore, and remains an active figure in the New England jazz scene. In 2024, Zishi will record his quartet’s debut album and organize a tour that explores the historical journey of jazz from the West to the East.

In addition to his work as a performer, Zishi contributes to the music community as a staff member at the Longy School of Music of Bard College, where he supports the next generation of musicians and engages in educational initiatives that promote artistry and cultural exchange.

Hui Weng, an Associate Professor at Berklee, is a virtuoso deeply entrenched in ancient Chinese traditions, fearlessly transcending musical boundaries that few dare to approach. With her mastery of traditional, contemporary, and improvised Guzheng music, she has garnered international acclaim, establishing herself as a preeminent figure in the global music scene.

Her exceptional talent has garnered her numerous accolades, including gold medals, distinctions like the "Jin Zhong Award," "National Rising Star," and "Oriental Artist," and recognition in major national and international competitions. She has also been honored with the prestigious “Musical Independent Award” and“Emerging Artists Award” fellowship, recognizing her pioneering eQorts in expanding Guzheng performance to encompass singing, dancing, and her contributions to composing and curating new works.

As an educator, Ms. Weng is a trailblazer, opening doors to performance in Chinese traditional instruments, The Music of China, and the Global Music Ensemble at Berklee and NEC. She is charting a new path for students who play nonclassical instruments, contributing to the enrichment of Chinese culture within these renowned conservatories, and nurturing a deeper appreciation for the diverse and vibrant world of music. Additionally, Ms. Weng's current project, "Rivers of Resonance," supported by the Berklee Faculty Development Grant, exemplifies her commitment to pushing musical boundaries and exploring diferent cultures

Alex Gao 高紫旗 is a Chinese-Canadian Singer/Performer.

As an Asian - American Woman and Artist, it is of her utmost importance to continue pushing boundaries and bridging where East meets West; she continues to grow whilst experimenting in her personal cocktail mix of fusing Pop, Soul, Musical Theatre and World Music.

Harold Charon is a Cuban pianist, composer, and performer based in Boston, MA and a recent graduate of the Berklee College of Music in Jazz Performance and Composition. He began his education at the age of five with primarily classical training. At 18 years old, Harold was selected by the National School of Music to play on a tour in Canada at the Halifax Jazz Festival.

In 2014 Harold received training from Taylor Eigsti, Chick Correa, and Fred Hersh at the Stanford Summer Camp. Since then he has worked with different bands in Cuba, such as Leo Vera, La Cruzada, Los Clasicos, Janio Abreu and Aire D’ Concierto, Ruy Lopez-Nussa y La Academia. In 2018 Harold attended a 5-week summer program at Berklee College of Music, which led to a full-tuition scholarship where he has had the opportunity to learn from Billy Childs.

Harold has performed with Aida Cuevas at the Berklee Performed Center and is currently working at Berklee College of Music as an accompanist, where he has performed with Jazzmeia Horn, Shawnn Monteiro, and others.

Benedict Koh is a composer and bassist from Singapore, currently based in Boston. He has completed his Bachelors of Music in Composition and Jazz Composition at Berklee College of Music and is currently pursuing his Master of Music in Jazz Studies (Composition) at New England Conservatory. He has studied and worked with a range of musicians, from big band composers to classical composers to improvisers including Ayn Inserto, Joe Morris, Marti Epstein, John Lockwood, Stratis Minakakis and Ken Schaphorst. He is the recipient of Berklee’s John Bavicchi Memorial Award in Composition and won Best Film Score at the 2021 Seoul International Short Film Festival. He has collaborated on various projects in free improvisation, working with dancers, multi-media performances as well as film scoring

Zongmou Jiang is a contemporary jazz drummer, improviser, and composer from China who blends traditional Chinese elements with an understanding of jazz history. His passion for music has led him to lead his own band at venues in China, such as Infree, Ruins, and Hiptip. Zongmou was honored to attend Berklee College of Music, where he performs at historic jazz venues in the Northeastern United States. He has also had the privilege of studying with renowned jazz figures like Danilo Pérez, John Patitucci, and Joe Lovano

GAIA Quartet is an all-women string quartet with a passion for bringing to light the music of under-represented composers. The quartet was founded in 2022 by Aspen Barker, Yi Charice Tang, Simone Cartales, and Rosalyn Taylor at the Longy School of Music. GAIA Quartet gets their name from the Greek goddess Gaia (or Gaea) who is the personification of Mother Earth. The name was chosen torepresent their diverse musical and cultural backgrounds, and their shared passion for innovativeartistic expression. GAIA Quartet has collaborated with several emerging composers, includingChristine Hedden, Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR), Patrick Wu, and Salome Yichi Zhang. They havealso worked with critically acclaimed ensembles; INTERWOVEN, Aizuri Quartet and the Horszowski Trio. In 2024, GAIA Quartet was invited to the St. Lawrence Chamber Music Seminar, where they worked with members from St. Lawrence String Quartet, Kronos Quartet and Brentano Quartet. GAIA Quartet is dedicated to promoting under-represented composers and diverse music that lays outside the traditional Western Classical canon. The quartet's mission is to bring awareness to the lack of diversity in the classical music world and inspire a new generation of inclusivity in music. GAIA Quartet has created its own concert series “Sonority Unleashed”, which showcases the unique talents of each member while simultaneously fostering a collaborative environment that creates innovative and impactful performances. The quartet was founded on the principle of using art to promote empathy, inclusivity, and unification.

GAIA Quartet is sponsored by the Marilyn Mason Foundation.