During all four concerts, Chopin’s compositions were performed by Chinese participants in this year’s Chopin Piano Competition. All four piano recitals took place at the Polish Embassy in Beijing. However, all lovers of the Polish composer’s works were able to watch the broadcasts of the concerts on Weibo platform.

Schedule of concerts and broadcasts:

I              30.04.2021 (Friday)   19:00             Chen Xuehong                      Broadcast on Weibo: 07.05.2021 (Friday)

II             18.05.2021 (Tuesday) 19:00              Tie Shunshun                       Broadcast on Weibo: 21.05.2021 (Friday)

III            25.05.2021 (Tuesday) 19:00             Chen Zixi                               Broadcast on Weibo: 28.05.2021 (Friday)

IV            08.06.2021 (Tuesday) 19:00             Rao Hao                                Broadcast on Weibo: 11.06.2021 (Friday)

Organizer: Polish Institute – Cultural Service of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Beijing

Partners: Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Beijing, Polish Tourist Organization, The Fryderyk Chopin Institute (NIFC)

In cooperation with: Beijing Central Conservatory of Music, Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Xinghai Conservatory of Music

Media partner: Weibo

Chen Xuehong

Born on 12 December 1999. He is currently studying with prof. Piotr Paleczny at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw and with prof. Du Taihang at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. He has won prizes in numerous national and international competitions, including third prize in the Moscow International Chopin Competition for Young Pianists (2014), first prize and the Mazurka Prize in the Beijing International Chopin Competition for Young Pianists (2016), first prize winner of the 11th Chinese Golden Bell Award for Music (2017) and sixth prize in the Maria Canals International Competition in Barcelona (2019). He has performed many times in Asia and Europe.

Programme:

1. Nocturne in E flat major Op. 55 No. 2
2. Mazurkas Op. 59 No. 1 & 2
3. Ballade in G minor Op. 23
4. Sonata in B minor Op. 58

Tie Shunshun

Born in 2000, Tie Shunshun began playing the piano at the age of three. Later he entered the Central Conservatory of Music Middle School studying with prof. Quan Hongbo. He is currently studying at the Central Conservatory of Music under prof. Wei Danwen. In 2016, Shunshun won first prize for The Best Polonaise Performance in the 1st Beijing Chopin International Piano Competition for Young Pianists, Junior Division. In 2017, Adam Mickiewicz University invited Tie Shunshun to perform at Żelazowa Wola, birthplace of Fryderyk Chopin. He is frequently performing with China Philharmonic Orchestra and Central Conservatory of Music Symphony Orchestra.

Programme:

1. Nocturne in B major, Op. 62
2. Mazurka in B major, Op. 56
3. The Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23
4. Andante spianato et Grande Polonaise brillante Op. 22

Chen Zixi

Chen Zixi was born on 17 September 2002. He is Yangtze-River piano young artist and KNS Classical artist. In 2021, he is the only recommended direct placement student in the Piano Department of the high school affiliated to Shanghai Conservatory of Music. Renowned conservatories, such as Juilliard School, New England Conservatory, and Manhattan School of Music, accepted him as well. His current professor is Yunlin Yang. He has participated in masterclasses given by such pianists as Klaus Bäßler, Andrzej Jasiński, Einar Steen-Nøkleberg and Antonio Pompa-Baldi. He has won prizes in numerous competitions, such as first prize and the nocturne prize in the Asia–Pacific International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition in Daegu (2018), second prize in the Compositores de España International Piano Competition in Madrid (2018) and second prize in the Manchester International Piano Competition (2017). He has worked with many symphony orchestras in Asia, including Guiyang, Xiamen and Tianjin. He has given recitals in renowned Chinese musical centres, as well as in Busko-Zdrój, Michigan and Imola.

Programme:

1. Nocturne in B Major, Op. 62, No. 1
2. Etude in G-flat Major, Op. 10, No. 5
3. Etude in G-sharp Minor, Op. 25, No. 6
4. Mazurka in A-flat Major, Op. 50, No. 2
5. Mazurka in C-sharp Minor, Op. 50, No. 3
6. Sonata No. 2 in B-flat Minor, Op. 35
7. Ballade No. 3 in A-flat Major, Op. 47

Rao Hao

Hao Rao was born in 2004 and began his piano studies at the age of four. At the age of eight, he began studying under Dr. Vivian Li at the Xinghai Conservatory – where he is currently enrolled as a second year high school student.

Though still young, he has already amassed an impressive resume of competition awards including first prize at the three most prestigious Chinese national piano competitions — Pearl River, Steinway and Xinghai Cup – as well as top prizes in major international competitions including Denmark Aarhus, Germany Ettlingen, Russia Krainev, Beijing Chopin and Zhuhai Mozart.

His extensive performance experiences have taken him from Asia to Europe and North America in solo and chamber as well as concerto appearances with numerous professional orchestras including the Shenzhen, Ningbo, Central, Xinghai and the Salzburg Chamber Soloists.

Programme:

1. Nocturne in D flat major, Op. 27 No. 2
2. Two Mazurkas: Op. 33 No. 1 in G# Minor, No. 3 in D Major
3. Two Etudes: Op. 10 No.8, Op. 25 No. 6
4. Barcarolle in F sharp major, Op. 60
5. Scherzo No.2 in B-flat minor, Op. 31
6. Andante Spianato et Polonaise in E flat major, Op. 22