About
As a child, Xiaohe vividly remembers the makeshift music ensemble she (voice) created with her cousins (piano, violin) and grandfather (erhu) on Chinese New Years. This was her first impulse to perform and share music with others. Growing up in China and then the U.S., Xiaohe is inspired by different musical influences and cultural backgrounds. Initially, she came to Berklee to study contemporary music (pop, R&B, jazz), yet found herself falling in love with Classical music over time. Xiaohe enjoys studying and analyzing scores, as well as learning about the historical and cultural context behind each piece.
Xiaohe’s singing and performing have always focused on the exploration of her authentic self and culture, the connection with nature, and women’s empowerment. She hopes to experience and interpret life through creating and performing.
She has performed in numerous concert/recital venues in Boston, including Killian Hall, Sanders Theatre, Pickman Hall and Colvin Hall. She was a member of the MassAve Chinese Music Ensemble, and HAcappella (Harvard’s Chinese acapella group). In the summer of 2025, she will attend AIMS in Graz and sing in their two Liederabend performances, and many other song recitals.
Xiaohe (Grace) Gu is a Boston-based soprano and pianist. From Shenzhen, China, she graduated from Berklee College of Music with a B.M. in Professional Music (Voice Performance, Composition and Music History) in 2023. She is currently pursuing a M.M. in Vocal Studies at the Longy School of Music of Bard College, under the tutelage of Dr. Dana Lynne Varga.
Photo Credit: Jiayuan Mao
Artist Statement
“
As a soprano, I started by singing contemporary music such as Pop, RnB and Jazz but fell in love with Classical music over time. What I like about singing Classical repertoire is the ability to connect my emotional and intellectual sides. Influenced by my training in piano and composition, I love researching about composers, music history, theory and musical context. I also love the sensuality of the poetry in songs.
Day after day, what keeps me coming back to my instrument is the desire to execute my artistic visions more freely and precisely. When I’m learning an aria or an art song, I always ask myself how the music supplements the storytelling. What imagery does the harmony create? How does the shape and direction of the phrase propel the song? Why add ornaments on this particular word but not others? Something that sounds so smooth, heavenly, and exquisitely crafted comes from the painstaking work behind the scenes of working out the minutia word by word, line by line.
As a singer, the execution and experience of creating music are both within the human body. I believe I’m singing to give a partial glimpse into the human experience. I want my music to give hope in times of turmoil and uncertainty, and to call attention to underrepresented voices. Like a mentor once said, “music always comes from real life.”