China’s ‘genius conductor’ rarely seen on stage, but he’s not yet ready to pass on the baton
Despite being born with Down’s syndrome, Zhouzhou’s innate aptitude for musical direction made him a star around the world
Once a household name, Chinese conductor Hu Yizhou is a rare sight in music circles these days.
After rocketing to fame two decades ago, the 40-year-old “genius conductor”, better known by his nickname Zhouzhou, now performs fewer than 10 times a year, according to a Beijing News report on Thursday.
Born with Down’s syndrome, Zhouzhou grew up listening to classical music because his father was a professional cellist. But his journey to stardom began only after he was jokingly asked to pick up the baton after he was spotted mimicking the conductor’s movements during a rehearsal for a performance of Bizet’s opera Carmen.
Despite the intellectual limitations caused by his genetic disorder, and the fact he could not read a musical score, Zhouzhou wowed audiences with his apparently innate ability to direct an orchestra. His father, Hu Houpei, attributed it to his son’s flair for feeling the rhythm of the music.
Between 1999 and 2006, Zhouzhou performed in five countries on three continents, and in every provincial capital in China, the report said.
