BLENDING CULTURES: Chinese pipa master Jin Yang is the guest soloist with the Bravura Philharmonic Orchestra at the Princeton Alliance Church on Sunday, March 16.

The Bravura Philharmonic Orchestra, under its conductor Chiu-Tze Lin, will present a concert, “Bending of the East and West,” on March 16, at 7 p.m. at the Princeton Alliance Church, 20 Schalks Crossing Road, Plainsboro.

The program will feature the Chinese Pipa Master Jin Yang. This collaboration of a Chinese folk instrument soloing with a western classical symphony orchestra is a one-of-a-kind event designed to bring a unique experience in sound.

Yang is the founder of the Chinese Musicians Association of North America. She graduated from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. She received the Golden Bell Award for Music in China, and a Silver Award at the Global Music Awards.

She has collaborated with Yo-Yo Ma in the Silk Road Ensemble and has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Kennedy Center.

Yang is on the faculty of Bard Conservatory, and an instructor at the University of Delaware’s Master Players Concert and Festival. She has also served as a judge for the Hummingbird International Music Competition at the Eastman School of Music. She will perform with the orchestra in the pipa concerto “King Chu Doffs His Armor” by Zhou Long, and “Cloud and Flower Fantasia” by Wang Danhong.

Pipa is a four-stringed Chinese musical instrument plucked like a guitar and having a large body resembling a lute, and a neck with 12 or more frets that leads into the body. These works not only showcase the depth of the pipa but also offer musical interpretations of historical narratives and cultural heritage.

Zhou Long is a Pulitzer Prize-winning Chinese American composer. He has blended traditional Chinese music elements with the modern orchestral sound. His “King Chu Doffs His Armor” is a dramatic concerto that portrays the final moments of Xiang Yu, legendary king of the Chu Dynasty.

The “Cloud and Flower Fantasia” by Wang Danhong weaves delicate ornamentations, harmonics, and expressive melodies. The pipa paints a picture of imperial grandeur, balancing beauty with lament in this tale of love and loss.

The program also includes Dvorák’s Symphony No. 8, a composition filled with Bohemian folk influences. In contrast to other works by Dvorak, this symphony is cheerful and optimistic.

General admission is $30, and $25 for seniors, students, and people with special needs. Premium seating is available at $50. Tickets purchased in advance are $20 ($50 for premium seating. Visit bravuraphil.org.