Born in China, Leah Ou began playing the pipa as a child with Wenting Tang, captivated by its distinctive sound and myriad voices—melodic, peaceful, percussive, and otherworldly—and its ability to convey emotion and narrative. During her early classical training years, the instrument grew with her, becoming a companion in understanding life, culture, and connection.

In 2017, Leah moved to Rochester, NY, where she has continued to explore the pipa’s voice in both traditional and contemporary contexts. She performs solo, in duets, ensembles, and with her band Mountain River Traveller, blending the pipa with electric guitar, bass, and drums in supercharged, folk-inspired music. Working with musicians from diverse musical traditions further inspired her to look beyond cultural boundaries, discovering new possibilities for the pipa while honoring the traditions that shaped it.

Leah has shared her music at festivals and institutions including SUNY Alfred, SUNY Geneseo, Summer@Eastman, and the Rochester Lilac Festival. Through her compositions and collaborations, she continues to explore the expressive range of the pipa, inviting audiences to experience the instrument’s rich heritage, vibrant voice, and evolving conversation with the world.

A young girl Leah Ou sitting on a bed holding up a large wooden stringed musical instrument: Chinese pipa/ Chinese lute, smiling at the camera.
Orchestra conductor leading two female musicians playing traditional string instruments: Ruan/Zhongruan/ Chinese pipa/ Chinese Lute during a concert.
Group of nine musicians and their conductor posing in a concert hall with wood-paneled walls, holding various string instruments, including Chinese pipa and Leah Ou(O's Pipa)
A live outdoor band with Pipa, guitar, bass and drums performs on a stage with trees in the background in George Eastman House Concert in Rochester, NY, while an audience seated in chairs and blankets watch the performance.
A woman with shoulder-length dark hair, at The Little Cafe, sits on a wooden chair on stage, playing an Asian/ Chinese traditional stringed instrument Chinese pipa and smiling. Behind her are colorful abstract paintings on a yellow brick wall.
Woman wearing a face mask during Covid, at a school in Rochester, NY, playing a traditional stringed instrument: Chinese Pipa/ Chinese Lute outdoors while students listens.
Two women performing on a dark stage; one is sitting on a chair playing a stringed instrument, and the other is kneeling on the floor with an expressive gesture. The seated woman is dressed in traditional attire, and the kneeling woman is wearing a b
A woman playing an acoustic Chinese Ruan/ Pipa on stage at Bug Jar, Rochester, NY, with colorful abstract art in the background.
A woman sitting on a stool against a stone wall, playing a traditional stringed musical instrument: Asian pipa/ Asian Lute with a long, flowing metallic silver skirt.
Two women standing near a fallen tree in a grassy park, smiling at each other, holding traditional stringed instruments: Chinese Lute/ Pipa. and a nyckelharpa.
A live outdoor music performance on a stage under a tent, with four musicians playing instruments: pipa/ Chinese lute, electric guitar, bass and drums, and singing.
Group of seven musicians standing in front of a colorful backdrop with text that reads "Wonders of Water" and musical instruments including guitars, a clarinet, a bass, and a Chinese Pipa/ Chinese lute.