板胡演奏家刘湘，一九六三年十一月二十四日出生在长沙外婆家，父亲便为他取名为刘湘。一九七六年九月，十二岁的刘湘考入海政歌舞团，担任板胡独奏和多种胡琴演奏。在一九七七年八月的文艺会演中，他演奏的板胡独奏曲《地道战组曲》获得优秀演奏奖。一九八七年，刘湘转入中央民族乐团任高胡、板胡演奏员，同年即在本团业务考核中获青年演奏家奖，被任命为乐队副首席。一九九五年，刘湘在国际华夏器乐展演年《中国民族乐器独奏大赛》，以精湛的技艺获得板胡项目大奖。一九九八年及一九九九年，刘湘二度随中央民族乐团赴维也纳金色大厅及欧洲多国演出并担任独奏。
LIU Xiang
LIU Xiang was born on November 24, 1963 in Changsha, Hunan province. It was because Hunan’s short name was Xiang, so his father gave him a name of Xiang. In September 1976, he joined the Song and Dance Troupe of the Sea-force Political Department of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army in Beijing as the banhu performer. In a show in August 1977, he won an outstanding performance award for solo banhu. In 1987, he became a gaohu and banhu soloist in the National Traditional Orchestra of China. In the same year, in a performance appraisal of the ensemble, he won the Young Performer Award and was given the position of vice-leader of the ensemble. In the International Year of Exhibition & Performance of Chinese Instrumental Music 1995, he with his refine performance won the grand prize for the banhu solo. In 1997 and 1998, he participated as soloist and member of the orchestra in the highly acclaimed performances in the Chinese New Year Concert in Vienna.