She will host the concert and she thinks highly of her husband's exploration of Chinese folk music.

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"His has deep musical roots in Chinese folk music and his Western influence is just an approach to make Chinese folk music come alive," Gong says.

She cites Qing Zhu, or Green Bamboo, as an example. It's one of the songs Zollitsch wrote for her around 2006.

"When I first listened to the song, it reminded me of the fighting scene in the bamboo forest in the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."

Nie Yunlei, a sheng player, who started working with the couple in 2006, will play five works in the concert. Sheng, one of the oldest Chinese instruments, has been used as an accompaniment instrument for suona flute performances. However, Zollitsch feels the instrument is magical and has written many pieces for it.

"For Lao Luo, each Chinese folk instrument has its personality and his music serves to make the personality stand out," says Nie, 35, who came from Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, and studied suona with his father and learned to play the sheng in 2001. "I believe chamber music is a way forward for struggling Chinese folk music."

Contact the writer at chennan@chinadaily.com.cn

IF YOU GO

7:30 pm, June 8. Forbidden City Concert Hall, inside Zhongshan Park, West of Tian'anmen Square, Xicheng district, Beijing. 010-6559-8285.