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Li Yundi's triumph in the 14th Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw, Poland last October shot him to overnight stardom.

The 18-year-old is the first Chinese to win the gold medal in the prestigious event.  He is also the youngest-ever champion and the first pianist to be awarded the gold medal since 1985.

Born in Chongqing, Sichuan, Li started accordion lessons at the Sichuan Children's Palace when he was four years old. He switched to piano three years later. In 1994, he entered the Secondary School of Sichuan Conservatory with top honours, where he met his teacher, Professor Dan Zhaoyi.

In 1995, he followed Professor Dan to the Shenzhen School of Arts where he continues his studies today.

Li has won several major awards,  including a third placing at the Liszt Piano Competition in Holland and a gold medal at the Gina Bachauer Young Artists International Piano Competition in Salt Lake City, Utah.

This is your second visit to Hong Kong. What is your impression of the city?

Since I am living in Shenzhen, I watch your TV programmes almost every day and know what is going on here. Hong Kong is a vibrant, exciting and fascinating city. People are nice and gentle and, above all, there are a lot of music-lovers here. So, it is really nice that I can share my music experience with Hong Kong's youth  and give a live performance in front of local audiences.

How did you join the Chopin  International Piano Competition?

Last summer, the Cultural Department in Beijing told me that they would like me to represent the country in Poland.  Being a prestigious event,  they told me there would be intense competition. At that time I was exhausted after taking part in two competitions earlier in the year and I wasn't sure whether I could handle the pressure. But after giving it some thought, I finally decided to go to Warsaw and started preparing for it.

Did you ever think about  the competition?

Absolutely not, because that would only add to my stress. On the other hand, I simply did what I had to do, that is practise hard and discuss my performance with the teacher. It was very tiring, so basically you didn't have much time to think about other things.

Who would you like to thank  after your performance in Poland?

My parents, friends and teacher, Professor Dan Zhaoyi. He has taught me so much that without him I wouldn't be here.

What music do you like most?

I like romantic music  and, of course, classical pieces by masters such as Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert. Haydn influenced the development of latter-day symphonies and string quartets. And I guess I don't have to say too much about Mozart and Beethoven because everybody knows them very well. Mozart wrote his first symphony when he was barely five; Beethoven was also a giant in his field,  although he had only nine completed symphonies to his credit. Schubert,  like Mozart, unfortunately died young, in his early 30s.  Composers such as J. S. Bach and Handel were famous during the Baroque period. But music of this era was perhaps too deep and profound for people of my age to understand.

Who are your favourite composers and pianists?

Chopin, Liszt and Brahms are my favourite composers.  In addition, Chopin and Liszt were two of the greatest pianists of all time. Unlike Liszt's grand pieces, Chopin's music is emotional and delicate, partly because the man himself was rather sentimental.  His music reflects his own personality, and it has a lot in common with Chinese literature. It's hard to put it in words, but I'm sure you will get it if you listen carefully.

My vote for the best pianists goes to Arthur Rubinstein and Vladimir Horowitz. Rubinstein was a globally recognised authority on Chopin's music.  Horowitz was a multi-talented pianist.

Is music study popular in the mainland?

Music is part of the standard  curriculum in most high schools and there are currently a lot of institutions specialising in the subject.

There's a huge pool of talent in China and all they need is  good training. The teaching methods of many of these music schools are very flexible and their  main concern is to help students develop their own style, while realising  their full potential. I think this is a good trend.

How many hours a day do  you practise? Do you ever feel tired?

Actually, I'll spend all day practising if a competition is at hand. In normal school days, I'll probably spend seven to eight hours on the piano. I started playing the piano at seven and I remember from time to time I did feel very tired and wanted to give it up, especially when other kids could go out and play while I was confined to the house. I had arguments with my parents over this. But as I got older my skills improved and I started to enjoy it and now I relish every single minute when I am practising.

Now that you have gained in ternational recognition, are you  going to start composing? Are  you going to study music  abroad?

I would like to concentrate on performing at this stage. There is still a lot of room for improvement as far as I am concerned. As a pianist you should always strive to do better. I also hope to study music abroad, maybe Europe.  The atmosphere there can provide me with the musical inspiration I now need.

What is your advice for young musicians in Hong Kong?

I believe hard work and perseverance is the key. You don't have to be a genius to become a good musician. I have no special talents, but my achievements have been a reward for good guidance and constant practice.

Set yourself a clear goal and then give it your best shot. Your efforts will pay off one day.

Name: Li Yundi

Birthday: October 7, 1982

Birthplace: Chongqing, Sichuan

Achievement: Gold medallist at the 14th Chopin International Piano Competition



Prodigy has success at his fingertips