Pei-Kun Xi (Chinese: 奚培坤; October 24, 1948 – December 30, 2005) was a Chinese-American conductor, composer, and music educator. He was a prominent figure in the post-1970 classical, film, and operatic scenes in Shanghai most notably serving as the music director and conductor of the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra (上海乐团), before immigrating to the United States in 1985. Following his relocation to the United States, his career expanded into guest conducting across major American symphonies. He specialized in arranging and performing works that seamlessly fused traditional Chinese instruments with a full Western classical orchestra, while fostering community arts development in the San Francisco Bay Area. He dedicated his life to orchestral leadership across both China and the United States, spanning decades until his quiet battle with illness ended in 2005.

Early Life and Education

Pei-Kun was born on October 24, 1948, in Shanghai, China. He demonstrated an early passion for music and engaged in intensive studies of the flute, piano, violin, and other traditional Chinese instruments from 1956 to 1968. In 1969, he graduated from the Middle School Affiliated with the Shanghai Conservatory of Music (上海音乐学院附中), where he majored in bassoon and flute. Between 1980 and 1982, seeking to master the art of the podium, he pursued private studies in orchestral conducting under the French conductor Jean Périsson and Chinese conductor Yi-Jun Huang in Shanghai.

In 1985, Pei-Kun immigrated to the United States to advance his academic and practical training on a full scholarship:

• 1985–1987: Studied conducting under Peter Black at the San Francisco Institute of Music and Arts.

• 1987–1989: Earned a Master of Arts in Music (Conducting) under Carl St. Clair at the New England Conservatory of Music.

• 1990: Selected as a Special Conducting Fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center by invitation of Seiji Ozawa, where he studied under Ozawa, Leonard Bernstein, and André Previn.

• 1990: Became an Artist Diploma Candidate in Conducting at Boston University under David Hoose.

Career

China Era (1969–1985)

Immediately upon graduating from the Middle School Affiliated with the Shanghai Conservatory of Music (上海音乐学院附中) in 1969, Pei-Kun joined the orchestra of the Shanghai Peking Opera Theatre (上海京剧团) for its landmark production of the revolutionary opera Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy (智取威虎山), serving as its orchestra conductor, a position he held for ten years. Throughout the 1970s, he served as a principal conductor for both the Shanghai and Peking Opera companies, conducting over 600 performances across six distinct Chinese operas.

From 1978 to 1985, Xi achieved a major career pinnacle, serving as the Music Director and Conductor of the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra (上海乐团). Under his leadership, the orchestra maintained a rigorous schedule, performing more than 40 concert programs per season. Simultaneously, from 1981 to 1985, he championed the next generation of musicians as the principal conductor of the Shanghai Youth Orchestra.

During this era, Pei-Kun was also a highly sought-after figure in the Chinese media industry, working as the music director and conductor for three major feature films and several television screen productions between 1971 and 1984. He recorded a significant catalog of commercial albums, LPs, and cassettes, establishing a reputation as one of China's prominent young conductors of the period. His cultural impact during this golden era was underscored in January 1984, when he was featured as the cover subject for the prestigious national music journal Music Lover (音乐爱好者).

United States: Guest Conducting and Composing Era

In 1985, Pei-Kun immigrated to the United States on a full scholarship to further elevate his conducting credentials. He initially studied under Peter Black at the San Francisco Institute of Music and Arts from 1985 to 1987, before moving to Boston to attend the world-renowned New England Conservatory of Music, where he earned a Master of Arts in Music (Conducting) under Carl St. Clair in 1989.

His exceptional talent caught the attention of international master musicians. In 1990, by personal invitation of the legendary Maestro Seiji Ozawa, Xi was selected as a Special Conducting Fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center, where he had the privilege of studying under Ozawa, Leonard Bernstein, and André Previn. That same year, he became an Artist Diploma Candidate in Conducting at Boston University under David Hoose. Following his graduate work, Pei-Kun relocated to San Francisco in 1992.

Frequently guest-conducting major symphonies, cultural, and holiday concert programs across the United States, his notable conducting engagements, many of which spotlighted traditional Chinese music alongside Western classical repertoire. From 1992, he served as the music director and conductor of the Dunhuang Music Ensemble, Eastern Philharmonic Orchestra of San Francisco, South Bay Chamber Orchestra, San Francisco Guzheng Music Society and California Chinese Orchestra.

Below are some key highlights:

• 1990: Conducted the Voice of Spring 1(春之声1) concert program.

• 1991: Led performances with the New England Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Civic Symphony Orchestra. 

• 1991: Conducted the Voice of Spring 2 (春之声2) concert program.

• 1992: Guest-conducted the Longwood Symphony Orchestra in Boston.

• 1993: Conducted the South Bay Chamber Orchestra Concert (南湾室内乐团音乐会) in California.

• 1994: Directed the Summer Melody (夏日旋律) concert program.

• 1994: Conducted the Dunhuang Orchestra (敦煌乐队) concert program.

• 1994: Conducted the inaugural kickoff celebration of the Eastern Philharmonic Orchestra (东方爱乐乐团) in the San Francisco Bay Area.

• 1995: Appointed guest conductor for the Silk Road Music Concert (丝绸之路音乐会) composition and conducting program hosted at San Francisco State University during the regional Chinese Arts Festival (旧金山地区海华文艺季活动).

• 1995: Led the Boston University Symphony Orchestra.

• From 1995 to 1996, Returned to China by invitation to conduct a series of high-profile concerts, leading both the prestigious Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and the Shanghai Traditional Chinese Orchestra.

• 1997: Conducted the Southern California Performance Celebrating the Return of Hong Kong to China (香港回归) concert program.

• 1998: Conducted the Unforgettable 30 Years of Spring and Autumn (难忘春秋30年) concert program.

• 1999: Conducted the 17th Annual Concert of the San Francisco Guzheng Music Society (旧金山古筝乐团) concert program.

• Other Engagements: Served as a guest conductor for the Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra (New York), the Oakland Symphony (California), the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Evans Symphony, and the Los Angeles United Symphony Orchestra.

Community Impact and Later Years

In the later chapters of his life, Pei-Kun focused heavily on music education and community enrichment within the San Francisco Bay Area. He served as a music professor at Laney College in Oakland, California. He co-founded and conducted the Great Wall Youth Orchestra and served as the principal composer and arranger for the Purple Silk Music Education Foundation, focusing his efforts on creating a vibrant space for young musicians to perform traditional and classical works. As a composer, he wrote highly successful, celebrated pieces that blended Western and Chinese idioms, including the Dunhuang Suite (敦煌组曲), the Stone Forest Rhapsody (石林随想曲), and the Guzheng Concerto Man Jiang Hong (满江红). He also served as the conductor for the Los Angeles United Symphony Orchestra。

While battling cancer, he dedicated his time to teaching music at universities in China.

Maestro Pei-Kun Xi passed away peacefully in his sleep on December 30, 2005. He left behind an enduring legacy as a cultural bridge-builder who shaped the classical music landscapes of two nations and inspired thousands of musicians across generations.