![]() ![]() Li himself would add another important quality to his success: plain hard work. My job was to help him fully develop all those advantages," Dan recalls. "But beyond all his remarkable musical gifts, one quality stood out: his extraordinary powers of concentration, a rare quality in a child. In addition to Li, Dan has also mentored students like Chen Sa and Zuo Zhang, both top-prize winners at international piano competitions. Noting that Li's only previous instruction had been piano lessons at a local Children's Palace, professor Dan, 64, raves, "For a child of his age, he really possessed remarkable sensitivity and a high degree of dexterity as well as considerable interpretational self-assurance." In 1991, at the age of nine, he started lessons with professor Dan Zhaoyi of the Sichuan Conservatory of Music in 1991, one of China's most respected piano teachers. ![]() "He would wave his hands and legs to the music - sometimes I had to force him to calm down."Īt only three years old, the junior Li managed to persuade his parents to buy him an accordion, and, two years later, won a children's accordion competition, thus convincing his mother that it might be worthwhile to invest in her son's passion. "When Yundi was only one year old, he was simply entranced by the musical programs on the radio,'' recalls proud father Li Chuan, now a steel company manager based in Guangzhou. ![]() But like many musical prodigies, his gift became apparent early on. Li had no exposure whatsoever to classical music at home. Li's fairytale story is one that also mirrors the country's development over the past 15 years into a well-off society, one where parents are eager to have well-rounded educations for their children including the arts. The best part is that I can now fulfill my childhood dream of performing throughout the world," he adds. He's philosophical about his win, though: "As would happened to any winner of a coveted award, my life has changed. But the future maestro says he didn't even expect to win - "Let win alone an worldwide acclamation," says the 22-year-old young man, confessing that he considered withdrawing from the contest at one point because he wanted to spend New Year's Day with his grandparents. "It won't be long before he is a maestro," Zhang predicts. "His maturity is obvious from the arrangements of the rhythmic transitions to the superb control of strength variations, which is known as the most difficult part of Chopin's compositions." "Working with him on this concert has been a completely different, and indeed, fantastic experience," notes director Zhang Guoyong, who conducted the concert. Li plays with a rare combination of virtuoso skill and poetic interpretations, each note he plays a reminder of why, in 2000, his music inspired the jury of the 14th International Chopin Piano Competition to gave out the first top prize in 15 years to the then 18-year-old boy, the first Chinese and the youngest contestant ever to claim the trophy. The occasion is a rehearsal for a joint concert, held last Wednesday at the Shanghai Grand Theater with Japanese violinist Tamaki Kawakubo, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the sister-city relationship between Shanghai and Osaka. 1 in E Minor."Īlmost instantly, a serious expression has overtaken his expressive face, and he is one with the music. Hardly the image of classical music's icon du jour.īut then he sits down, and strikes the first note of Frederick Chopin's "Piano Concerto No. Wearing a casual navy blue checked shirt paired with blue jeans and sneakers, the erupting ring of a cell phone inspires him to mischievously whistle an identical imitation of the tune. Piano Prodigy Li Yundi Intelligent And Cool ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |