University of North Texas 
The UNT Chinese Ensemble is the first of its kind to be established at a Texas university. Led by founding director Dr. Yuxin Mei, the ensemble performs in the traditional silk and bamboo style and has been actively engaged in performances both on campus and throughout the Dallas–Fort Worth area.
In the 1990s, the UNT College of Music received a donation of Chinese musical instruments from a retired Chinese couple returning to China. Following this donation, the College began a long search for a qualified director to establish a Chinese ensemble. After decades of effort, Dr. Yuxin Mei was recommended by the late Professor Emeritus Dr. Gene Cho and invited by then-Dean Dr. James Scott to UNT to found the UNT Chinese Ensemble. At the same time, Dr. Mei began her studies in ethnomusicology at UNT. After more than twenty years of dormancy, these instruments were brought back to life when the ensemble made its debut at UNT Recital Hall on April 9, 2016. The debut performance was met with great enthusiasm from both audiences and performers.
With the support of Dr. Steven Friedson, a proposal was submitted to then–Dean Dr. James Scott, who generously approved $25,000 for the purchase of new instruments. This investment significantly elevated the ensemble’s performance quality and enabled its continued growth.
As the first Chinese music ensemble of its kind in North Texas and the first established at a university in the Southwest, the UNT Chinese Ensemble has developed strong connections with local communities and has become a featured ensemble at major cultural events. These include the Dallas Chinese New Year celebrations (since 2017) and Mid-Autumn Festival concerts (since 2016). The ensemble has also performed at the Society for Ethnomusicology Southern Plains Conferences (2016, 2020, 2024), Middle Tennessee State University (2022), the Crow Museum of Asian Art in Dallas (2017), the AT&T Performing Arts Center (2017), and the Denver Chinese New Year Celebration (2018) at the invitation of the Denver Confucius Institute. In 2021, the ensemble was honored to perform in the China–U.S. Youth Chinese New Year Online Gala (2021), receiving enthusiastic recognition from audiences in China.
The UNT Chinese Ensemble maintains ongoing collaborations and exchanges with institutions including the China Conservatory of Music, Xi’an Conservatory of Music, the Asian Music and Culture Center at the University of Memphis, the UT Dallas Center for Asian Studies, and the Center for Chinese Music and Culture at Middle Tennessee State University.
Community engagement is central to the mission of the UNT Chinese Ensemble. The ensemble has established long-term partnerships with cultural organizations in Texas, including the Dallas Huayun Traditional Chinese Music Orchestra, which contributes significantly to music performance and the promotion of Chinese culture throughout the Dallas–Fort Worth region.
The UNT Chinese Ensemble has also received significant support from alumni and community leaders. Dr. Charles Ku, a long-time supporter of UNT, has contributed generously to the ensemble and helped expand its recognition within cultural communities. Mr. Mingkai Low, a former ensemble member (2017–2018), has also provided support through donations following his graduation.
Since its founding in 2016, the UNT Chinese Ensemble has presented more than twenty semester concerts, each featuring a distinct thematic focus, including Chinese folk songs, Cantonese music, Chinese percussion, romanticism in Chinese music, festive traditions, the Chinese zodiac, and 20th-Century Chinese film music.
Dr. Yuxin Mei, founding director and pipa virtuoso, is an accomplished Chinese music pedagogue. She has developed tailored repertoire, arrangements, and educational programming for the ensemble, shaping its artistic identity and continued growth.
Contact: Yuxin.Mei@unt.edu