鄭小瑛教授是中國第一位歌劇、交響樂女指揮家，曾任中央歌劇院首席指揮、中央音樂學院指揮系主任、中國第一個志愿者樂團 “愛樂女”室內樂團的音樂指導和廈門愛樂樂團藝術總監。她畢業于中央音樂學院，留學蘇聯國立莫斯科音樂學院。
鄭小瑛曾成功地在20多個國家指揮演出；她是第一位多次登上國外歌劇院指揮臺的中國指揮，曾獲法國文學藝術榮譽勛章和兩枚俄中友誼榮譽勛章。她也是中國最有經驗的指揮教授之一，她的多位學生已在國內外重要指揮崗位上執棒.她更是一位熱情的音樂社會活動家，德國電視臺將她編入《世界杰出婦女集》，日本NHK將她列入《亞洲杰出婦女集》。
1997-2013年她應廈門市領導之邀到廈門組建我國第一個不占國家編制的，“公助民辦”性質的職業交響樂團，廈門愛樂樂團在嶄新機制下成長迅速。她率領樂團“扎根廈門，面向全國，走向世界”，帶著優秀中國交響樂作品先后在日、法、德、奧、意、 加、美、俄、新、馬和港澳臺，以及國內外80多個城市進行了極為成功的巡回演出。
她領導的樂團榮獲了民政部授予的“全國先進社會組織”稱號，她本人還榮獲了中國歌劇事業特別貢獻獎，中國文聯，中國音協“金鐘獎”的終身成就獎和“中華文化人物”等獎項，并入選人物紀錄片《世紀交響一中國交響樂的奠基者》，被中央歌劇院授予“終身榮譽指揮”，被福建省歌舞劇院聘為終身榮譽顧問，還被世界合唱理事會聘為榮譽藝術主席團永久成員。
Maestro ZHENG Xiaoying, one of China’s most prominent conductors, is China’s first female opera-symphony conductor. She is Lifetime Honorary Conductor of China’s Central Opera House, former Principle Conductor of it, former Dean of the Conducting Department at China’s Central Conservatory of Music, former Music Director of the Ai Yue Nv Chamber Orchestra (located in Beijing), former Artistic Director of the Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra (located in Fujian province).
Maestro ZHENG is recipient of numerous international and national prestigious awards and recognitions, including: French Literature and Arts Medal of Honor, Russia-China Friendship Medal of Honor (twice), Special Contribution to Opera in China Award, Golden Bell Award’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and the title of China’s Cultural Figure.
As one of the founders of China’s opera and symphony in the twentieth century, Maestro ZHENG graduated from China’s Central Conservatory of Music, and persuaded further studies in opera and symphony conducting at National Moscow Conservatory of Music. Maestro ZHENG is the first Chinese conductor conducted in international opera houses, she has conducted concerts and operas in over twenty countries.
Maestro ZHENG is one of the most experienced conducting professors in China. In her career of over half of the century, she has taught numerous students, many of them are active on the important stages, both domestically and abroad. The Outstanding Contribution Award of the Central Conservatory of Music recognized her pedagogical impact and achievements.
In addition, Maestro ZHENG is the most famous music social activist in China. Since 1980s, she has been advocating passionately for the popularization of classical works of symphony and opera among the Chinese people, especially among the college students, by offering public lectures on campuses and at many public venues. Therefore, she was recognized many times with the awards of Elder Professors’ Contribution to China’s Rejuvenating and the National Worthiness Contribution Award.
In 1997, supported by the Xiamen municipal government and local enterprises, Maestro ZHENG was invited by Xiamen city leaders to found the Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra, which is the first non-state supported philharmonic orchestra in China.
She was the Artistic Director and Chief Conductorof the Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra from 1997-2013. Maestro ZHENG led the Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra to tour Japan, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Canada, the USA, Russia, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macao, performing Chinese symphony “The Echoes of Hakka’s Earth Buildings” and promoting China’s cultural achievements in music. She also led the orchestra successfully toured over 80 cities in China. Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra was named the “National Advanced Social Organization” by China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs to recognize its extraordinary contributions. Maestro Zheng Xiaoying was named a Moral Modelfor Professional Devotion of Fujian Province and an Outstanding Constructer in Commemorating 30 Years of Development of the Xiamen Special Economic Zone. She was honored with the Xiamen Literature and Arts Special Honorary Award and her biography, ZHENG Xiaoying: A Conductor, Music Educator, and Music Social Activist, was published as a part of the series on “Literary and Artistic Figures of Xiamen.”
At age 87, Maestro ZHENG Xiaoying is still active on the national and international concert stages and at various workshops and public lectures.
