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Edmund Lee


48 HOURS: What can the audience expect from your December 13 concert at the Hong Kong Coliseum?
LI YUNDI: For me, it's a challenge and a breakthrough. The majority of classical concerts in Hong Kong are held at the Cultural Centre. By staging this at the Hong Kong Coliseum, I'm hoping that I can engage more young people, as well as the general public, in learning about classical music. It's my guess that many of my audience this time will not have attended a classical concert before.
Is there going to be a special stage set?
Unlike in concert halls, we'll be incorporating some very special lighting, and some other visual effects, into this programme.
What will you play?
It's going to be a comprehensive programme that includes many of my favourites. As a classical musician, I regularly present a variety of cycles that focus on specific areas. The Hong Kong programme is more of a mixture, and will include Beethoven's Piano Concerto No 5 in E flat major Op 73 ( Emperor), which is on my latest record; Piano Sonata No 14 in C sharp minor, Op 27 No 2 (Moonlight), which was on my 2013 record; and other memorable pieces I have played from Chopin and Liszt's repertoires.
Do you always try to add something new to your repertoire?
Every year I have a certain direction for my artistic development. For example, I concentrated on Beethoven last year, and I played Beethoven's concerto and Schumann's Fantasie in C, Op 17 for my record album this year. When I play a stadium show, I design a programme that caters to the particular audience.
Do you think you're a better pianist than when you won the International Frédéric Chopin Piano Competition in 2000? 
I think that it's been a continuous development process, because every stage in an artist's career corresponds to a certain state of being. I don't want to judge myself, but I do feel that it's an exciting time for me. I'm happy that I get to do what I do. I'm living my musical dream.
You'll return to the Chopin competition next year as a judge. How do you feel about that?
I'm very honoured. There must be a kind of destiny I share with Chopin, as I have been invited back 15 years after I received the award. I grew up with his music, and it has formed the core of my career.
Your record company decided to model your initial image on Japanese pop star Takuya Kimura. Would you have done it differently yourself? 
There are many factors that shape a person's development. I never look back. I only look forward to next year, the year after next, and whatever objective that I'm hoping to accomplish. So far, I've only been doing what I like to do.
You've been compared to [fellow Chinese pianist] Lang Lang in the media. Do you get tired of persistent questions about it?
Actually, I think it is … Your question, to me, is … [ Li's manager interrupts: "Please excuse us for not answering this question. We don't want to be part of any comparison. Sorry about this."]
You have said in the past that you're the type of pianist who prefers to play in concert halls rather than big stadiums. Do you see your Hong Kong Coliseum concert as a new direction?
A musical comparison is in order: although I'm a great admirer of Chopin, that doesn't mean that I'd completely refrain from playing Beethoven. Similarly, while I may play some 70 concerts in music halls every year. That's the basis of what I do as a classical musician. I'll continue to allocate about 30 per cent of my time to find some breakthrough for — or shall I say, make some contribution to — the world of classical music. I think it's a meaningful effort to attract new audiences who may one day come back to support the traditional programmes. My purpose of doing this concert is very clear.
 


The Inquisition: classical pianist Li Yundi

Magazines

48 Hours

The award-winning classical pianist is still living the dream — but please don’t compare him to Lang Lang


The award-winning classical pianist is still living the dream — but please don’t compare him to Lang Lang.


The Inquisition: classical pianist Li Yundi

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The award-winning classical pianist is still living the dream — but please don’t compare him to Lang Lang

The award-winning classical pianist is still living the dream — but please don’t compare him to Lang Lang