Twin brothers Gao Chao and Gao Yue are members of numerous leading music associations, including the Chinese Musicians Association, Tianjin Musicians Association and the American Federation of Musicians. They currently teach percussion at the Tianjin Conservatory of Music, and also work as senior lecturers at the BC Chinese Music Association and Confucius Institute in Edmonton.
Taught by their father from a young age, they completed 7 years of professional training in Peking Opera percussion. After ranking first in university entrance examinations, they enrolled for the Central Conservatory of Music, where they were mentored by Professors Li Zhengui, Wang Jianhua and Li Biao. To date, they have recorded a large number of musical works with China Central Television (CCTV) and performed compositions by various contemporary composers including Tan Dun, Ye Xiaogang, Xu Changjun, Tang Jianping and Guo Wenjing. Their performance of the percussion work Drama was featured in
Tug at China’s Heartstrings, the world’s first album of music for Chinese plucked-string instruments. They have performed with numerous acclaimed percussion ensembles, including the Li Biao Percussion Ensemble, Hamburg Percussion Ensemble, Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra Percussion Ensemble, and the Beijing Jianli Percussion Ensemble. In 2006, they performed Battle of the Ox and the Tiger for the CCTV New Year’s Gala and won the gold medal in the Youth Ensemble Category at the inaugural ‘Drumming Beats Beijing’ contest.
In 2007, they left for Canada to further their studies in Western percussion instruments. A year later, they signed a contract with the renowned local percussion ensemble Scrap Arts Music and went on to perform at numerous music festivals and tours across North America, Europe, Asia and Africa. They were also the only Chinese artists to perform at the opening ceremony of the 21s Winter Olympics in Vancouver and record promotional clips for the Beijing Olympics. During their time in Canada, they acquired a diverse range of new performing styles and techniques through their work with internationally acclaimed percussion artists such as Evelyn Glennie and Nebojša Jovan Živković.
Since returning to China in 2013, they have performed with numerous renowned conductors, including Tang Muhai, Guan Yuzhong, Pang Kapang, Tay Teow Kiat, Zhang Lie, Wu Qiang, Dong Junjie and Liu Chiang Pin, performing repertoire such as
Flying Dragons and Leaping Tigers,
The Age of the Dragon, The River of the Orient, Uproar in Heaven, New Dragon Dance and Taste of Tianjin. Thanks to their charismatic style, refined performing techniques and on-stage chemistry, they have developed a stellar reputation for their ability to combine traditional operatic styles with Western and Chinese folk music.
