Principal Pipa of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, Zhang joined the HKCO in 2004 and served as Acting Principal Pipa in 2013, she has served as Principal Pipa since 2016. She is also a director of the Pipa Society under the auspices of the Chinese Musicians’ Association, a Master’s degree programme lecturer at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, and is teaching at the University of Hong Kong, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Hong Kong Baptist University, the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Education University of Hong Kong. She holds a Master’s degree from the China Conservatory of Music and was trained under Prof Zhao Yinan, Ms Li Guixiang, Prof Wu Junsheng, Ms Ren Hong and Prof Yang Jing.
Zhang was the winner of the Silver Award for Pipa Specialism, Youth Section, at the 1st Chinese Instrumental Music Competition organised by the Ministry of Culture in 2002; and the First Prize in the Youth Section at the 3rd ‘Longyin Cup’ International Ethnic Instrument of China (Pipa) in 2004. Zhang’s recent performance include: ‘Legendary Heroines Hua Mulan and Mu Guiying’ concert in 2021, performing the pipa concerto Hua Mulan; In 2020, Zhang went with the HKCO on a European tour that covered Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, Austria and Hungary, performing pipa solo with the Orchestra in King Chu Doffs His Armour. In Hong Kong, she partnered with pianist Linda Yim in the ‘Piano and Pipa Duo Recital by Linda Yim and Zhang Ying’ as part of the City Hall Virtuosi Series in 2019. She was an Artistin-Residence of RTHK Radio 4 in 2016, and appeared in pre-recorded exclusive interviews as well as performed live on air, in May the same year, she was invited by the Xinghai Concert Hall of Guangzhou to give a pipa solo recital entitled ‘Music for Tranquility of Mind – Chinese Solar Term of Corn Forms’.
Zhang has released a solo album for pipa, Dancing in the Wind and a DVD which records her graduation concert in Beijing. Over the years, Zhang has performed in the U.S.A., the UK, New Zealand, Canada, Russia, South Korea, Norway, Germany, and the Czech Republic, etc.
