Ex-Poway cellist meets Michael Jackson at Cirque
From classical and rock to, now, the late 'King of Pop,' Tina Guo has pluck
As the founder and president of the Future Doctors of America Club at Poway High School, Tina Guo was anticipating a medical career. Instead, she sought to help heal the world — in a manner — by embracing her lifelong passion for classical music in general and the cello in particular.
Now, less than a decade later, the 26-year-old Guo is a featured soloist for the “Michael Jackson The Immortal World Tour,” a three-year-long trek that is jointly produced by the estate of Michael Jackson and Cirque du Soleil. The tour includes performances here Saturday and Sunday at the Valley View Casino Center (formerly the San Diego Sports Arena).
“Being an Asian person, I thought it might be appropriate to be in the medical field, because going into music is not very secure,” said Guo, who was born in Shanghai and moved to North County with her family when she was 6. “I don’t know what I was thinking! But I changed my mind and went into music, thankfully, and everything worked out.”
Considering her tireless devotion to the cello, it’s surprising she even considered anything else.
The daughter of two classical music teachers, Guo started taking piano lessons at 3 and violin soon thereafter. She switched to cello at 7, and it became the dominant force in her life.
“To be honest, I didn’t have much of a normal childhood, as any Asian string (instrument) player would tell you,” she said.
“I’d wake up and practice (cello) for one to two hours before school. Then I’d come back from school, practice, do my homework, eat and practice some more — every day. It wasn’t always fun. But there’s a price to pay for results that come later, and I’m very grateful.”
In Guo’s case, the results have been many and varied.
She enrolled as a music major at USC, but became so busy doing recording session work and concert dates that she left school to become a full-time cellist. She has since performed as a soloist with the San Diego Symphony, the State of Mexico National Symphony and orchestras in Italy, Greece, Brazil and Canada. Her nonclassical credits include gigs with Foo Fighters, Carlos Santana, Carrie Underwood, John Legend, ex-Smiths’ guitarist Johnny Marr and others.
Guo has also played on the soundtracks to the films “Inception” and “Iron Man 2,” as well as contributing to the music for numerous TV shows. In her spare time, she plays in heavy-metal and industrial-rock bands in Los Angeles, where she lives.
For the “Michael Jackson The Immortal” tour, Guo plays an unaccompanied two-minute electric cello solo each night, using an instrument that she helped design and helps promote for the Cambiare Electric Cellos company. Guo is also featured in a guitar and cello “duel,” which replaces the Eddie Van Halen guitar solo on “Beat It.” She plays cello in at least half a dozen Jackson songs each night, as part of a 13-piece band that performs in the high-tech, multimedia production.
“We have the same (costume) designer for ‘The Immortal’ tour as Madonna,” Guo said, speaking from a San Francisco tour stop. “I wear knee-high boots, a black bra and leather pants, but with only one leg (covered). The other leg has one butt cheek (partially exposed).
“Obviously, I wouldn’t dress like that for my classical music tours. But when I play at industrial Goth underground clubs in L.A., I wear the appropriate gear. To be a musical chameleon, you need to blend in and be flexible. I’ve worn everything — and I’ve had many butt cheeks hanging out!”