UNCW’s Kenan Auditorium set to host Grammy-Winning Artists in unique new program
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WWAY) — The Kenan Auditorium is set to present a new program, From China to Appalachia.
This unique event will bring together two-time Grammy winners Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer with Chinese dulcimer virtuoso Chao Tian for a genre-blending musical event that unites Appalachian and Chinese folk traditions.
For more than four decades, Fink and Marxer have delighted audiences with their remarkable musicianship and dynamic harmonies. Their performances showcase an array of instruments including guitar, five-string banjo, ukulele, mandolin, and cello-banjo. Their music varies between the country genre, as well as folk and bluegrass.
Their extraordinary career includes performances at hundreds of folk and bluegrass festivals as well as teaching appearances at nearly 100 music camps across the country. Recognized by the Washington Area Music Association with more than 65 WAMMIE Awards for folk, bluegrass, and children’s music, Fink & Marxer have also received 12 GRAMMY nominations throughout their career. They have collaborated and performed with legendary artists such as Pete Seeger, Theodore Bikel, Tom Paxton, Patsy Montana, and Riders in the Sky, further cementing their place within the American folk tradition.
Joining them is Chao Tian, an internationally recognized Chinese dulcimer (yangqin) virtuoso whose work bridges musical cultures through improvisation, experimentation, and interdisciplinary collaboration. A performer, sound designer, and visual artist, Tian explores the expressive possibilities of the Chinese dulcimer while weaving together influences from traditional Chinese music, folk traditions, and contemporary improvisation.
Tian’s musical journey began at the age of five, eventually leading to her admission at twelve to the Middle and High School Affiliated with the China Conservatory of Music. She later earned both her Bachelor of Arts in Traditional Chinese Music Performance (Yangqin) and her Master of Arts in Musicology from the China Conservatory of Music. Tian is currently pursuing a PhD in Ethnomusicology at Boston University, where her research focuses on intercultural improvisation and the evolving artistic language of immigrant musicians.
Together, these artists create a vibrant dialogue between cultures—melding the rhythmic sparkle of the Chinese dulcimer with the heartfelt sounds of Appalachian folk instruments. From China to Appalachia invites audiences to experience the joy of musical discovery as traditions meet, blend, and transform on stage.
Click here for tickets, or call the Kenan Auditorium Box Office at 910.962.3500.
