She worked with the Central Philharmonic Society and held several leadership positions on the board of the Chinese Musicians' Association.
Fraenkel had a profound influence on Xixian, as well as other prominent Chinese composers such as Ding Shande and Sang Tong.
She was particularly interested in choral writing and her unconventional use of diverse vocal timbres resulted in unique and innovative work.
[4] For example, her most famous piece “Pastoral” (Mu Ge) is a four-part vocal work based on the Dongmeng (Zhaowuda League, Inner Mongolia) folk song “Throwing Sticks.” In this piece, Xixian employs Western tonality and harmonically-driven melodies in conjunction with polyphonic interweaving.
[8] Xixian had given personal concerts of choral works in 1987, 1999, and 2000 in Beijing and Shanghai; had published Qu Xixian Chorus Selections in 2003, including 53 pieces, among which were arrangements of Pastoral, Usuli Bacarole, Clouds Flying Over the Unmoving Sky, and original compositions: Flying Petals, Call Me By My Pet Name, The Cuckoos are Singing, etc.
Along with several other Chinese artists in the 1950s, Xixian used composition to participate in protesting their government's plan to control social messages in music.
[citation needed] Beyond her musical career, Xixian's interest in socio-political developed throughout her entire life.
At the age of 18, Xixian left Shanghai and travelled to Hunan to participate in anti-Japanese rioting that occurred there in 1937.