Striking a chord without compromise

Photo provided to China Daily

Kicking off from his hometown Chongqing on Aug 15, he will play in 30 cities by the end of the year. Except for Beijing (Oct 1-2), Shenzhen (Oct 8) and Shanghai (Dec 23), the tour also includes many second- and third-tier cities.

"I've planned such a tour for many years because I want to play for a much wider audience, not only those in big cities," he says. "Now, even many small towns have advanced concert halls, which means they are 'physically' ready for classical music."

Li named his tour Piano Dream China, but not many people know that the pianist's dream actually started from the accordion.

The 3-year-old Li was fascinated by a small red accordion at the toy store. His mother did not buy the expensive toy for him. But the boy could not forget it and on his fourth birthday, his mother gave him an accordion as a gift. And his mother was soon repaid when, only a year later, Li won the first prize at the children's accordion competition in Chongqing and then his first award in the Sichuan province.

But a problem followed shortly after when he realized that the standard accordion is too big and heavy for a 7-year-old boy. Li recalls that every practice felt like a weights session in Chonqing's humid summer. So, upon his music teacher's suggestion, he turned to piano.

Seven is considered old among piano beginners, but after just three months the teacher told his mother, "Yundi is such a prodigy that I cannot teach him more."

Related:

Getting to know Li Yundi

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