The YS Family And Friends Concert | Shanghai Lang Lang Music World
On May 4th, 2023, with the joint efforts of Lang Lang Arts Foundation and Shanghai Lang Lang Music World, a successful concert was held in Shanghai for the Young Scholars of the Lang Lang International Music Foundation.
Lukas Barwinski-Brown, the CEO of the Lang Lang International Music Foundation, expressed his excitement, saying “Thanks to the overall planning by the Lang Lang Arts Foundation and Shanghai Lang Lang Music World, this is the first music concert held in China for the 2022-2024 ‘Young Scholars’ program of the Lang Lang International Music Foundation.
The performance was fantastic, it was beyond our expectations. The children were outstanding and we hope to have more activities like this in the future! The repertoire carefully selected by the two young scholars and their friends, the clear and concise explanations, and the seamless performance made the entire concert wonderful!”
Let’s quickly take a glimpse of the highlights of the concert together!
First Half of the Concert
Presented by Cheng Lujunrui, who came all the way from the panda city Chengdu with friends and family.
The first half of the concert began with a lively rendition of Chopin’s “24 Preludes, Op. 28: Prelude in D Minor”, in which his fingers danced nimbly and cheerfully, spreading his passion directly to the audience. The beautiful melody and exquisite technique of Liszt’s “La campanella” vividly demonstrated the ringing of small bells, giving the audience a great auditory experience.
Next, the Chinese piece “Water Grass Dance” was played in a gentle and graceful manner, leading the audience with fresh and lively notes, making them feel as if they were dancing with seaweed in the sea. After experiencing some romance, Cheng Lujunrui brought us Chopin’s “Étude in A Minor, Op. 25, No. 11,” which featured the right hand rapidly jumping on the keyboard. The notes were like the strong winter wind blowing and swirling the dead leaves in the air, creating a powerful expression that left the audience stunned.
Finally, Cheng Lujunrui combined the contrasting music with his own cheerful and lively emotions to perform Chopin’s “Piano Scherzo No.2 in B-flat minor”. With highly contagious energy, he brought the atmosphere of the first half of the concert to a climax, leaving the audience excited and asking for the second half to continue without an intermission, which was granted of course.
First Half of the Concert
Performer
Presented by Cheng Lujunrui, who came all the way from the panda city Chengdu with friends and family.
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Cheng Lujunrui, began to learn piano at the age of three and The first person who inspired him in music is his mom. He has studied the piano for ten years and participated in many competitions.
In 2017, he participated in Chopin International Youth Piano Open and won the gold medal in the national final competition. Then he was invited to work as the “promotion ambassador of Chopin International Youth Piano Open ” to promote piano learning to the public, popularizing piano playing as a wonderful interest and attracting more Chinese children to learn music and play the piano.
In 2018, he had won the Second Place in the Chengdu division final competition (children group) in the “Yundi LI–Chopin National Piano Tour” and was invited to play Mozart’s works with the internationally-famous pianist Yundi Li.
In 2019, he took part in the Second Mozart International Piano Competition and became the only winner of the Special Prize in Chengdu. In 2019, he took part in the 2019 Pearl River Kayserburg International Youth Piano Competition and won the First Prize in the junior group in Sichuan and won the Third Prize in the international final competition.
In 2020, he won the championship in the competition named “Playing the Piano with Lang Lang: the Music From Heaven Sounds Extraordinary”, and won the opportunity of attending the master’s class tutored by the internationally-famous pianist Mr. Lang Lang. Moreover, Lujunrui Cheng performed a four-hands piece playing alongside Lang Lang at his concert, which helped him accumulate very rare performing experiences on the stage.
In 2021, he participated in The 12th Chopin Youth International Piano Competition and won the special prize of the China finals of youth group B (the prize is a Yangtze River Grand Piano). In the same year he also participated in the global audition of the 11th Tchaikovsky International Youth Music Competition. And fortunately, he had successfully become one of the 60 young pianists in the world who have advanced to the final. (The competition will be held simultaneously in Chengdu and Moscow from April 30 to May 12, 2022)
Second Half of the Concert
The second half was performed by Wang Jingxing, along with his friends “Viola – Miao Yifu” and “Violin – Qian Zhiyuan”.
The three children first presented the audience with a piano trio “Yangguan Sandie” that was guided by the famous composer Mr. Lin Hua. With the harmony of the piano, violin, and viola, it felt like listening to a story of friends bidding farewell to each other on a clear morning in the rain. Then, they performed “Fantasia on Beijing Themes” composed by Mr. Wang Jiayang. The children used their young fingers to portray the beauty of the fusion of the violin and piano in the Peking style, allowing the audience to feel the charm of both Chinese and Western music.
After that, there was a piano solo. First, Chopin’s “Mazurka” Op.6 was played by Wang Jingxing, who skillfully controlled the rhythm and dynamics, bringing the audience into the world of Polish countryside music. Then, Liszt’s “Hungarian Rhapsody No.2” began with quiet flowing notes, then built up to rapid and passionate melodies, showcasing a unique style that left both the audience and performers deeply immersed in the music.
Finally, they ended with the Chinese-style piece “Pihuang” by Zhang Chao. Wang Jingxing’s passionate performance allowed us to feel the breath of the Qin Opera and Han tune, as well as appreciate the charm of different singing styles. The piano spoke Chinese and conveyed Chinese emotions, touching the hearts of the audience and leaving them amazed!
The concert ended perfectly with performers in a full state, high-level performance, and wonderful interpretation, winning the warm and prolonged applause of the audience and sincere shouts of “bravo!”
The concert lasted for an hour and a half, but the audience was immersed in the music flow, and time seemed to pass only half an hour. Many audience members were reluctant to leave after the concert, and they eagerly communicated, discussed, and took pictures with the young scholars and Lukas.
Lukas, the CEO of the Lang Lang International Music Foundation, couldn’t contain his excitement. He took out a microphone and expressed his high appreciation for the children’s love, mastery, and understanding of the piano and music, his gratitude to the organizers, and his expectations for more similar activities in the future when taking a group photo with the performers.
After these, audience still not want to leave, we were surprised but also glad, with the help of the performers and audience, we quickly set up an interview venue. We started an unplanned music-themed heart-to-heart talk between Lukas, the children, and the audience friends. We talked about our experiences and the foundations’ mission and projects, as well as our expectations and prospects for future activities and performances. In the unexpected hour that followed, the children, who had just experienced intense and long-term performances, were still enthusiastic and curious. The audience was also fully focused, capturing every word and sentence carefully. We shared our lives and experiences, talked about possible future activities and performances, and bid farewell reluctantly because it was far beyond the closing time of the concert hall.
We believe that in the future, we will have more performers, more events, and more different opportunities to gather, all under the name of music, love, and passion, bringing more beautiful expectations and happy memories to everyone!
Performer
Second Half of the Concert
Performer
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Wang JingXing , born in ShangHai China in 2009, started his piano learning after his father WANG Qing, who is a professor of piano in Shanghai Conservatory Music (SCM).
He furthered his musical education in the ShangHai Music School (attached to SCM) after XIE Jia and YU Yin Jia. In 2021 ,he was recruited as the pianist in SMC Trio and been awarded People’s Scholarship and Niu Ende Scholarship during his study in the schools. Won himself prizes in tremendous piano competitions, the mains such as both Golden Prize and Special Prize in Concerto AB Category of The 21st International Chopin Piano Competition in ASIA(2020, Japan), both First Prize in Junior Category and Grand Prize in Professional Category of 2021 Aegio International Piano Competition(2021, Canada), and both first prize of Category C and “Nevena Popovic” Special Prize in the 8th International Piano Competition “Città di San Donà di Piave” (2021, Italy).
His Performance started to show in significant events and on main stages in Shanghai, such as leading pianist of 100 piano performance event, and performance on International Seminar of Artists on the stage of Shanghai Music Concert Hall (Dec 2019), and the pianist of the World premiere of award-winning composition Animal’s Friends at the 2nd Piano Pedagogy Academic Week. His Concert of Solo and Chamber Piano Music was recruited to the “Musician Hatching” Program of SCM, and he was selected to the e Lang Lang International Music Foundation Young Scholar Program of 2022-2024.
