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Tan Shuzhen

1907 – 2002

Chinese musician

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About Tan Shuzhen

Lived 1907 – 2002 (aged 94–95). Tan Shuzhen was a Chinese violinist.

Tan Shuzhen (; 1907 – 2002) was a Chinese violinist, teacher and violin maker. In 1927, he became the first Chinese musician to join the Shanghai Municipal Public Band, now the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, led by Italian conductor Mario Paci. "Nobody had ever seen a Chinese in the orchestra," Tan has been quoted as saying. "So many people came to see me."

Until 1966, Tan headed the Conservatory's violin section and became involved in the establishment of China's first violin-making factory. During the Cultural Revolution, Tan was confined for 14 months in a tiny, dark closet under a stairwell at the Conservatory. He suffered regular beatings and denunciations before being released to work as a janitor. When the Cultural Revolution ended, he became the vice-director of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music.

Tan features prominently in Sheila Melvin and Jindong Cai's Rhapsody in Red: How Western Classical Music Became Chinese and in Murray Lerner's 1979 documentary, From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China. Tan is the subject of Heather Greer's 1999 documentary, The Gentleman From Shanghai.

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Important facts

Born
1907
Birth century
Died
2002
Occupation

People in Tan Shuzhen's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Tan Shuzhen's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Tan Shuzhen?

Chinese musician

When was Tan Shuzhen born?

Tan Shuzhen was born in 1907.

When did Tan Shuzhen die?

Tan Shuzhen died in 2002.

What was Tan Shuzhen's occupation?

Tan Shuzhen was a violinist.

What nationality was Tan Shuzhen?

Tan Shuzhen was Chinese.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Tan Shuzhen

· Wikidata: Q16078934

· DBpedia: Tan Shuzhen

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Tan Shuzhen. https://biography.guide/tan-shuzhen/

MLA: "Tan Shuzhen." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/tan-shuzhen/.

Chicago: "Tan Shuzhen." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/tan-shuzhen/.

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