周笑来 博士
西北师范大学音乐学院研究生导师、大提琴教师、交响乐团指挥
专业方向：大提琴演奏、作曲
周笑来博士在美国留学近10年，先后取得堪萨斯大学大提琴表演与作曲博士（DMA）、内华达大学音乐硕士（MM）和德州克里斯汀大学艺术家文凭（AD）。留学期间，他长期担任校交响乐团大提琴首席，活跃于Reno爱乐、堪萨斯首都交响乐团、Las Colinas及Abilene爱乐等职业乐团，积累了丰富的管弦与室内乐舞台经验。
他曾获得阿斯本音乐节、檀歌乌音乐节、德国奥伊廷歌剧音乐节等国际顶级音乐节全额奖学金，受邀参与大师班并接受世界著名大提琴家马友友、美国茱莉亚四重奏成员等艺术家的现场指导。2018年，他在堪萨斯霍夫曼演艺中心与马友友同台演出并参与公开课，深受肯定。2015年荣获内华达大学协奏曲比赛全乐器第一名，2018年获堪萨斯大学荣誉演奏会优胜者。
演出足迹遍及中美欧主流舞台。2009年，他在上海东方艺术中心独奏大提琴协奏曲并由广播现场直播；2019年担任青岛交响乐团“德奥精粹”音乐会特邀大提琴首席；曾与广州交响乐团、上海歌剧院交响乐团合作，演出包括“图兰朵”广州大剧院开幕式、法兰克福书展开幕式、芬兰国际歌剧节等，演奏曲目涵盖众多经典交响与歌剧作品。
他曾任教于美国堪萨斯大学、内华达大学音乐系，回国后受聘于西北师范大学，现为研究生导师、省级一流本科课程负责人，出版专著《高校音乐教育创新与实践研究》，并多次指导学生在全国比赛中获奖。
Dr. Zhou Xiaolai
Graduate Supervisor, Cello Teacher, Conductor of the Symphony Orchestra
Northwest Normal University
Specialization: Cello Performance, Composition
Dr. Zhou Xiaolai spent nearly 10 years in the United States, earning his Doctorate in Cello Performance and Composition (DMA) from the University of Kansas, his Master's in Cello Performance (MM) from the University of Nevada, Reno, and an Artist Diploma (AD) from Texas Christian University. During his time abroad, he served as the principal cellist for the university orchestras and performed with professional orchestras such as the Topeka Symphony Orchestra, Reno Philharmonic, Las Colinas Symphony Orchestra, and Abilene Philharmonic, gaining extensive experience in both symphonic and chamber music performances.
Throughout his studies, Dr. Zhou received full scholarships to prestigious music festivals, including the Aspen Music Festival, Tanglewood Music Festival, and the Eutin Opera Festival in Germany. He had the honor of studying under renowned artists, including cellist Yo-Yo Ma and members of the Juilliard String Quartet. In 2018, Dr. Zhou performed alongside Yo-Yo Ma at the Hoffman Center in Kansas City and participated in a public masterclass with him. He won the first prize in the 2015 Concerto Competition at the University of Nevada (open to all instruments) and was recognized as an outstanding performer at the University of Kansas Honors Recital in 2018.
Dr. Zhou’s performance career spans multiple continents. In 2009, he performed a cello concerto in a solo recital at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center, broadcast live. In 2019, he was invited as the guest principal cellist for the Qingdao Symphony Orchestra’s German and Austrian Classics concert. His orchestral engagements have also taken him to the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, Shanghai Opera House Symphony Orchestra, and the Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany, as well as the Savonlinna Opera Festival in Finland, performing a broad repertoire of classical orchestral and operatic works.
He has also served as a teaching assistant at the University of Kansas and the University of Nevada, Reno. Since returning to China, he has been an associate professor and graduate supervisor at Northwest Normal University, where he also leads a provincial first-class undergraduate course. He has published a book, Innovation and Practice in Higher Music Education, and has successfully mentored students who have won awards in national competitions.
