Programme Yujing Cui
Featuring world class musicians ...
... from New Zealand and around the world, Whare Flat Folk Festival is four days of music, sun, camping, workshops and jams in the idyllic native bush surrounds of Waiora Scout Camp. Just 15 minutes' drive from Dunedin, Whare Flat is the best way to see in the New Year.
Yujing Cui
Feature Concert: 2nd Jan 2.30pm Marquee
Evening Concert Spot: 1st Jan 7.30pm Marquee
Workshop: 31st Dec 2.30pm Workshop Space
Based in Christchurch, Yujing is a sound explorer who loves mixing Eastern and Western sounds in her own way. She plays guitar and pipa (a traditional Chinese instrument that Christchurch folk club friends affectionately call the “Chinese banjo”), and sometimes invites her daughter on stage to sing harmony. Her music blends indie folk with hints of her indie rock past, with unusual riffs, slightly quirky grooves, and flavors from world music she’s picked up along the way.
She started learning pipa as a kid, where every note had to be perfect according to strict instructions. Later, playing in indie folk and rock bands taught her the fun of improvising, playing with others, and just letting music breathe. Returning to the pipa as an adult, she found ways to naturally mix Eastern and Western sounds, and that became her own thing.
Yujing is drawn to any sound that catches her ear — whether it’s from effects pedals, modular synths, software, or music from another culture entirely. With a background in music technology, she’s now independently putting together her first album, experimenting with all kinds of sounds and textures along the way.
On stage, she just wants to play music the way it feels right — relaxed, open, and true to herself — giving audiences something fresh, unexpected, and a little bit different.
