Dong Xi is a new collaboration between world percussionist Tom Teasley and world-renowned Chinese dulcimer artist Chao Tian. Dong Xi Music’s uniqueness is driven by Tom and Chao’s cultural backgrounds, and their intellectual musical creativity produces a refreshing new chemistry. 

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With the current trend of globalization between the U.S. and China, collaboration and communication need to be established in more than just the fields of politics and economics. Dong Xi provides cultural exchange via an improvised musical dialogue. Most performances between Chinese and American musicians are pre-arranged, but Dong Xi’s musical tête-à-tête is on-the-go, spontaneous, and intriguingly unknown. Such conversation is established and conducted through mutual respect and understanding of each other’s culture, with the goal of supporting, disseminating, and showcasing each other’s cultural legacy.

 

Dong Xi strives to better-convey and interpret Chinese and U.S. music and culture. From musical performance, to the reception of the audience, to the promotion of resonance and inner feelings, this collaboration has greater power than simply presenting each country’s culture. Both Tom and Chao are musical polyglots who have successfully broken the barriers and hurdles between cultures and art forms, in a never-ending quest to fascinate, inspire, and discover new sounds, meanings, and art.

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They have performed at many famous venues and events in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, and Michigan. In 2019, they released their first album, "Out of the Blue," and were invited to China for a teaching residency. They are also the Wammie Award winners for Best World Music Artist/Group and the nominees for Outstanding Sound Design of the 2020 Helen Hayes Award.