袁莎未满六岁就正规学习古筝，师从刘媌老师。十岁以优异成绩考入中国最高音乐学府北京中央音乐学院的附属音乐小学，一九九○年，作为该音乐小学的“优秀毕业生”被保送进入中央音乐学院附属音乐中学，一九九六年，毕业后又被保送进入中央音乐学院民乐系，一九九九年，因成绩突出，被中央音乐学院免试成为该院的硕士研究生。袁莎自中央音乐学院音乐小学至中央音乐学院硕士研究生的十馀年间，师从古筝名师李萌教授，成为该院的古筝“尖子”学生，曾连续被评为该院的北京市的“全优三好学生”和连续获得多项中国和外国颁发授予的奖学金。二○○一年十一月，她在“第一届‘龙音杯’中国民族乐器—古筝国际比赛”中夺得金牌，并于二○○二年八月在中国文化部举办的“全国青少年艺术大赛—第一届中国民族乐器独奏比赛”中再次以极大的优势荣获青年专业组第一名，袁莎已成为当今杰出的新一代表演精英。
YUAN Sha
YUAN Sha began to receive the formal zheng train from LIU Miao since she was six. At the age of ten, she was admitted to the affiliated elementary school of the Central Conservatory. In 1990, she was admitted to the affiliated middle school of the conservatory as an excellent graduate and in the same way further her study in the university. In 1999, she was recommended without examination as a post-graduate in the conservatory. Since she has been admitted to the conservatory from elementary to university, she studied the zheng diligently under Professor LI Meng. She was an outstanding student and had gained many honorable titles and prizes in China and overseas. In November 2001, she obtained the Gold Prize in the first “ROI Cup” Chinese National Instrument——Guzheng International. In August 2002, she obtained the champion of the professional level in the first Chinese National Instrument Performance Competition organized by the Ministry of Culture of China. YUAN Sha becomes an outstanding player in the new generation of the Chinese traditional music.