Xixian was born to parents Qu Baowen and Zhu Pingyu on September 23, 1919 in Shanghai. She loved music from a very young age, and began her formal music education during her childhood. In 1939, Xixian studied with German-Jewish composer, :de:Wolfgang Fraenkel|Wolfgang Fraenkel while he was living in Shanghai. Fraenkel had a profound influence on Xixian, as well as other prominent Chinese composers such as Ding Shande and . From 1940 to 1948, Xixian studied piano and composition at the Shanghai National Conservatory. Among her many teachers was Tan Xiaolin, a former pupil of Paul Hindemith, before his return to the United States in 1944. Shortly after graduating from the composition department of the Shanghai National Conservatory in 1948, Xixian began to teach harmony and music history at the Beijing Art Institute, now called .
Composition career
In 1949 Xixian began to compose professionally. She wrote original scores for the Central Song and Dance Ensemble from 1949 to 1954. Consequently, she composed for the Central Philharmonic Society. A large portion of Xixian’s compositions are vocal pieces. She was particularly interested in choral writing and her unconventional use of diverse vocal timbres resulted in unique and innovative work. She became musically renowned for her beloved choral arrangements of Chinese folk songs. For example, her most famous piece “Pastoral” is a four-part vocal work based on the Dongmeng folk song “Throwing Sticks.” In this piece, Xixian employs Western tonality and harmonically-driven melodies in conjunction with polyphonic interweaving.
Throughout her life, Xixian was involved as a composer and administrator for several elite music societies and organizations. In 1979 she was elected as the Director of the Chinese Musicians' Association. A few years later, in 1985, she became the Vice President.
Political Involvement
A great deal of Xixian’s compositional work reflects various historical periods she lived through in China, such as New China, the Cultural Revolution and the Reform Era. Along with several other Chinese artists in the 1950s, Xixian used composition to participate in protesting their government’s plan to control social messages in music. Many songs that were written by this generation of Chinese musicians are still sung in the 21st Century. Xixian’s song in particular was quite positive and celebratory, entitled “Quan Shijie Renmin Xin Yi Tiao” which translates to “All The World’s People Are of the Same Mind.” Many of her compositions were inspired by folkloric stories or by what she observed of the world around her. Particularly, a few of her songs reflected the challenges and struggles faced by the Chinese lower class. For example, The Rickshaw Boy was inspired by the novel Rickshaw Boy written by Lao She, detailing the life of an impoverished boy who supports himself by towing a rickshaw.
Personal life
Beyond her musical career, Xixian’s interest in socio-political developed throughout her entire life. At the age of 18, Xixian left Shanghai and travelled to Hunan to participate in anti-Japanese rioting that occurred there in 1937. Toward the end of her life, Xixian greatly suffered from lung cancer. She believed that China should pass a “Right to Die” law, stating that “A good death is better than living with pain." On March 19, 2008, she passed away from lung cancer at the age of 89. While she was alive, her interests included reading and socializing with her friends.
