Background
Mr. Chao was born in Ningbo, Zhejiang, China in 1907.
Chao Mei-pa graduated from Ningpo English Methodist College.
Chao Mei-pa graduated from the University of Shanghai.
Mr. Chao was born in Ningbo, Zhejiang, China in 1907.
First Chao Mei-pa graduated from Ningpo English Methodist College and later from the University of Shanghai. He received his early musical training from Dr. E. J. Anderson. Mr. Chao studied under Herbert Cave, tenor of Convent Garden, London, 1925, and then under Prof. P. Selivanoff, of the Petragrad Imperial Opera between 1926 and 1929.
Mr. Chao was in charge of Music Department of Wayland Academy, Hangchow (Hangzhou) since 1926. He was an assistant of music, University of Shanghai and Academy of Shanghai in 1927. From 1928 instructor of music appreciation and chorus conducting, University of Shanghai, Shanghai Arts Academy.
He took up the post of an instructor of music, the Eastern Intercollegiate Summer School. In 1929 Mr. Chao went to Europe on a governmental scholarship and was admitted in the class of Maurice Weynandt for professional singing. He was selected as a soloist of the leading Brussels Oratorio concerts, "Concerts Spirituels," and participated in Mendelssohn's "Elijah", Wagner's "Parsifal", and Henrich Schutz's "La Passion selon Saint Matthieu" in 1932.
Chao Mei-pa became a soloist of the Belgium National Broadcasting concerts and he gave public recital at Geneva during the Sino-Japan Incident, in the presence of Ministers Wellington Koo, Quo Tai-chi, Victor Hoo, Lo Chung-I, W. S. King, T. Chien. on April 1933.
After graduation he appeared in many cities in Belgium. Chao Mei-pa visited England Winter in 1933 and sang in London and Oxford.
Mr. Chao toured America in 1934. He was given recitals in New York, Brooklyn, New Jersey, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Washington D. C, Virginia, Baltimore etc. Chao Mei-pa appeared in the National Broadcasting net-work many times.
He maintained a Vocal Studio in Baltiore doing part time teaching besides concert trips director of an American Women's Chorus in Baltimore, "Mei-Pa Ensemble", organized by the graduates of Goucher College. Chao Mei-pa accepted the chair of professorship of singing and chorus conducting at the National Conservatory of Music, Shanghai.
Mr. Chao was a member of the Musical Committee of the Ministry of Education. His devoted professor M. Weynandt published a Study, specially dedicated to him, in the leading French Musical Edition A. L. Hetch, "Repertoire Moderne de Vocalises-Etudes".
Chao Mei-pa transcribed some Chinese folk songs to art songs with success.
"La Cloche Jaune"
(It was published in Brussels and reprinted in Lyon, France.)
(A brief sketch of the history of Chinese music.)
"Introductory Course in Western Music"
((1926 Commercial Press))