WHEN Chinese pipa virtuoso Wu Man arrived in the United States in 1990, the Western world knew little about Chinese culture in general, and the "Chinese lute" with a 2000-year history she played was a mystery to most.

Twenty-two years on, Wu was named "Instrumentalist of the Year" by Musical America, the oldest classical music magazine in the United States.

Born in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, Wu started learning the pipa at the age of nine, after being encouraged by her parents.

She studied under pipa masters such as Lin Shicheng, Kuang Yuzhong, Chen Zemin and Liu Dehai at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, becoming the first recipient of a master's degree in the instrument in 1987.

During the 1980s, while still a student, Wu was one of the youngest members of a national musical delegation that performed in the United States and Britain.

Although she had a promising career in China, Wu decided to move to the United States in 1990, after being selected as a Bunting Fellow at the Radcliffe Institute of Advanced Study at Harvard University.

"To further your career as a musician, it is essential to see the world," Wu explained in an email interview with Shanghai Daily.

"Actually, it didn't matter where I went. To learn and understand music from other nations on this planet was my dream."

Wu held her first solo concert in the United States in 1991 at the Pittsburgh International Contemporary Musical Festival.

Naturally, the audience was very curious about the traditional four-stringed instrument Wu played and the ancient music she performed.

"They were full of questions. After I explained the technical details and its historical background, the audience began to appreciate and like it," she recalled.

Another important stage was waiting for her - the White House. In 1998, Wu and cellist Yo-Yo Ma were invited to give a private concert at a state banquet held by then President Bill Clinton to welcome Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji.

The first artist from China to perform at the White House, Wu's audience was more than 200 leading figures from China and the United States.

She recalled: "After the concert, President Clinton picked up the pipa and examined it, and Premier Zhu explained the instrument to him. I didn't even get the chance to help!"

Wu has proud memories of this once-in-a-lifetime experience, "I was so honored that I contributed a little to the relationship between China and the United States."

Wu has certainly contributed a great deal to creating a place for the pipa in an array of forms, including opera, chamber, electronic and jazz, as well as in theater productions, film and dance.

Through cross-culture collaborations, such as on famous Chinese composer Tan Dun's "Ghost Opera" (1997) with the Kronos Quartet, Wu has brought the pipa to a wider audience.

She has gone on to make several other recordings with the San Francisco-based string players, and worked with them on the "A Chinese Home" multi-media project in 2009.

Wu has also appeared on stages around the world with many of the world's major orchestras, such as the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic and the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra.

As Musical America cited in this year's award announcement, "Wu's work is part of a big step in the evolution of Western classical music. The best measure of her achievement is that her instrument, the pipa ... is no longer an exotic curiosity. Symphony audiences have heard her perform concertos by Lou Harrison and Tan Dun."

During her efforts to make the pipa known to the world, Wu was frequently asked "if foreigners could understand the pipa or Chinese music."

"You can not judge music by 'understood' or not." Wu would say in response.

"It's an emotional activity. As long as the music touches your heart, you'll be moved, no matter what kind of music it is," she explained.

"I've never worried what others think about Chinese music. Every nation has its own culture. I'm honored to introduce this treasure to friends all over the world, but to let everyone understand Chinese music is a long and difficult process."

"Some people may find it difficult to accept it, but also many open-minded people will happily accept any kind of music; just like some Chinese never listen to Western music and some others admire it. So I never struggle with this 'understanding' question."

Collaborations

In her collaborations with top names, Wu has frequently performed alongside another Chinese name: Yo-Yo Ma, her fellow artist at the White House performance.

Wu and the virtuoso American cellist first worked together in the Silk Road Project in 1998. Wu appears on the albums "When Strangers Meet," "Beyond the Horizon," "New Impossibilities" and "Off the Map."

The Silk Road Ensemble was formed under the artistic direction of Ma, with an aim of exploring and celebrating the multiplicity of approaches to music from around the world.

"Creating a new musical language is the foundation of my collaborations," Wu said.

"When Mr Ma and I work together, we often have passionate and open discussions on many things, such as choosing the musical form, adjusting the performance detail or whether to give up an imperfect work."

After spending 20 years introducing Chinese music to the world, Wu is now directing her career back to China. She has just finished a documentary "Discovering a Musical Heartland: Wu Man's Return to China," after six years in production.

For the documentary, Wu visited remote areas of China, recording different types of folk music and the musicians striving to keep their distinctive sounds alive.

Her next wish is to travel the length and breadth of the country to create a documentary covering the full scope of Chinese folk music.

Wu says that increasingly in China, children and their parents are learning Western instruments - such as the violin and piano - instead of traditional Chinese instruments.

This makes it all the more important to dig into the roots of Chinese music, she believes.

"The most important thing is to answer the question, 'what's the purpose of learning music?'

"Music should be part of the elementary education. To learn music is to learn about history and culture. Appreciating music can add joy to one's life," Wu said.

"I hope that one day the children of China will be proud of their own traditional music and culture, and that more and more young Chinese musicians will stand on the world stage."