Read Our Interview here on Voyage STL
Read ZYI’S Interview here on Bold Journey
READ JENNY’S INTERVIEW HERE ON BOLD JOURNEY
Our entertainment Activities repair our soul. however, there are not enough positive opportunities, support Groups, and network interactions that enable everyone to have a safe place to express and recover. We are here to Influence change and build our community in stl.
WatcH Our Interview with All Things Local STL
Watch This 2021 STL community music video project
The MISSION
The mission of Zyi Li Music and Entertainment LLC (ZME) is to improve music and entertainment in STL. We want to build community and makes friends. This is an all-inclusive community entertainment organization that provides opportunities for others, networks and connects entertainers, forms new and innovative groups that are also for hire, creates next level events for the community both free and paid (these events mix entertainment activities, cross genres, and utilize new technology), and produces, influences, and encourages greater entertainment for everyone to enjoy in the community.
Overall, we ask for your help and support in making music and entertainment better in our own backyard. You can do this by participating in events, attending shows, donating, joining us, recommending people, services, and venues, sharing events and social media posts, and giving professional and constructive feedback.
Thank you for taking the time to learn about the cause! We hope to meet and see you soon. Feel free to contact us via email at zyilistl@gmail.com.
Jenny Wu’s Story (Co-founder and General manager)
I started my journey with music at age 3 in Kao-Hsiung, Taiwan, and received professional level training in both piano and violin throughout my youth. I started competing with the violin at age 7. During my childhood, I moved to Los Angeles, California and Denver, Colorado.
Between the ages of 13 to 16, I went on 6 rock and jazz concert tours in Taiwan with acclaimed musicians of Asia. I graduated with a Bachelor of Music in violin performance from the University of Colorado, Boulder. I eventually moved to Maryland to obtain a Masters and Doctorate degree in Violin Performance (D.M.A.) at the University of Maryland, College Park. As a classical musician, I won numerous national competitions and performed throughout the United States, Canada, and Asia. I have also made numerous recordings in all genres of music, to include for Grammy award winning artists.
Throughout the years, I studied and played with many prestigious teachers and professional musicians: Dr. William Starr (Founder, Suzuki Association of the Americas), Dr. Gerald Fischbach (Author, Viva Vibrato! & Artistry in Strings), Oswald Lehnert (University of Colorado, Boulder), and members of the Takacs Quartet (Grammy Award Winner), Guarneri Quartet, Cavani Quartet, Borodin Quartet, and Cleveland Quartet. I also received master classes from Yo-Yo Ma, Izhak Perlman, Dorothy Delay, Jonathan Carney, and Hilary Hahn.
In recent years, I became a Director and General Manager for Kushner Entertainment’s PopCulture Strings, Productions Coordinator for Kushner Entertainment company, and Entertainment Designer for Kushner Entertainment company and Washington Talent Agency. I would also direct, manage, orchestrate, and coordinate music for Kindred The Family Soul.
I am passionate about people. My goal in life is to create memories with the people I love, for the people I love, and for all that they love. In motto, "I want to live for other people, so that when I ultimately leave this earth, my stories live on."
Zyi Li’s (郑奕李) Story (Co-founder and organizer)
I go by Zyi Li (pronounced “Z Lee”). This is a mix of my given Chinese (I speak Mandarin Chinese) and family names (Zheng & Li). My given English name is Andrew. I was born and raised in STL. I started playing the saxophone around the age of 5 after telling my parents about a picture of a bear playing a saxophone at a park. My private teacher was the band director at my mother’s school that she taught in St. Louis City Public Schools and he was formerly a saxophonist for Ray Charles (I currently play Mr. Allen Merry’s personal saxophones). I would grow up with music as part of my life. With my private teacher, I would play in various ensembles in my youth around the city of STL. During high school, I created startup groups in various activities as dance (Aerofluct Creed). Upon graduating from Parkway North High School, I enlisted in the United States Marine Corps as a saxophonist musician and was stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. During that time, I would play in various band and small ensemble settings, perform various styles, travel around performing for many events, and create my own bands. I would obtain my Bachelor’s in Business Administration Degree from Campbell University while attending mixed night and online courses on base.
After my about 4-year enlistment and after obtaining the rank of Sergeant, I returned to STL to attend law school at Washington University in St. Louis and started a start-up social venture to expand people’s life experiences (Patch Life Utilities). After graduating law school with a J.D., passing the Missouri bar examination, and obtaining a M.B.A. from Webster University, I eventually moved to Washington D.C. for a new job working for the federal government. While in D.C., I performed in various bands ranging from original music groups playing in bars to high-end agency bands playing for large weddings. I also began writing and producing my own original music. I then decided to move back to my hometown, the great city of St. Louis, to be closer to family and old friends.
The End Goal
The immediate goal is to create new community events, build various unique groups, and create positive networks. In doing so, we hope to influence a higher caliber and quality in entertainment, both professionally on and off the stage, while ensuring artists and entertainers are properly valued and treated with respect. Over time, we hope to create larger shows (performances, musicals, concerts, benefit concerts, and talent shows) while mixing groups and genres and showcasing local talent. In the end, we would like to create a large commercial property venture that puts STL on the map for music and entertainment. This is a place where we can constantly host one of a kind events (conventions, world record attempts, flash mobs, etc.), have shows and performances, allow and highlight street performing and busking like a large night market, have unique activities to do (arts, crafts, carnival games, ax-throwing, etc.) across diverse cultures, opportunities to learn and educate, have local eateries and drinks, have competitions, and have good local and family friendly fun for all people and walks of life. We all want to go to other cities to see things, experience things, and get famous. Let’s make that here in STL!
THE LOGO
The logo, called the Zyi Li Star (which is why our members are called Stars), is a compiled symbol for Zyi’s Chinese and family names. The symbolism to the design is that there are many crossroads in life that pull us away, and other roads with dreams that get stopped. As such, your life can become split with who you are and who you would like to be. However, at the center intersection is your heart and soul. Listen to them, and they will guide you in the right direction. Therefore, by having this symbol on you, it means you follow and support your heart and soul. Furthermore, you also support our core mission of making music and entertainment better for all in STL.
