Liu Dehai, an eminent Chinese Pipa master, began learning Pipa and other traditional Chinese instruments (like Erhu and Sanxian) at the age of 13. Later Liu Dehai studied under Liu Shicheng, a famous Chinese Pipa player. In 1957 he was admitted into the Central Conservatory of Music, majoring in Pipa. In 1970 he joined the Central Philharmonic Orchestra as a Pipa soloist. Liu Dehai's adaptation of the traditional tune, "Laying An Ambush On All Sides" was a hit both in China and abroad. Since 1979, Liu Dehai toured extensively abroad and performed with many famous orchestras like Boston Symphony Orchestra and Berlin Symphony Orchestra. Liu Dehai's performance is acclaimed as being exuberant and highly sophisticated. Liu Dehai plays a huge role in popularizing traditional music with his new arrangements of many traditional tunes and his adaptation of many pop songs into Pipa solos. Liu Dehai's hit pieces include but not limited to "Wild Geese Descending On a Sandy Beach," "Billows Washing Beach Sand," and "A Moonlit Night In Xunyang."
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