The notes jump between the black and white keys, and the melody flows as the bow caresses the instrument. At 7:00 p.m. on October 24th, a classical concert at the College of Chinese & ASEAN Arts of Chengdu University Sub-venue of the “2021 Chengdu International Sister Cities Youth Music Festival” was performed at the art center of College of Chinese & ASEAN Arts. Patrick Lechner, a young Austrian pianist and foreign expert of the College of Chinese & ASEAN Arts, and violin soloist Tymur Melnyk performed in partnership, bringing an elegant audio-visual feast to the audience. The concert was attended by a full house. Ou Yusong, Deputy Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Chengdu Municipal People’s Government, Peng Xiaolin and Wang Xiaojun, vice presidents and members of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee of Chengdu University, attended the concert and spent a music night with more than 500 audiences.
A black grand piano is placed still in the center of the stage, and several beams of light gradually focus on the piano. Patrick Lechner and Tymur Melnyk, dressed in black tuxedos, showed up together to start the special concert. Under the spotlight, the pianist's fingers beat with notes between black and white keys, and melodious melody danced with violin notes. The melody of Sarasate’s “Caprice Basque”, a traditional Spanish folk dance song was played, and the energy of dynamic music was flowing at the fingertips. The violin's fast and gorgeous spiccato jumped with notes, and the scene of the Spanish Basque people dancing gracefully and chicly spinning seemed to be right in front of the audience.
Patrick Lechner performed a piano solo of Chopin's Polonaise “héroïque” in A-flat major. The passionate melody broke out in an instant and the rhythm changed drastically, and audiences seemed to be there and heard the sound of clashes of swords and halberds. Sadness, tenderness and dreams gradually faded away, the flames of struggle were rekindled, and the heroic and sweeping victory was unstoppable. Tymur Melnyk performed a violin solo of Li Zili’s “Harvest Song of the Fisherman”, with a quiet prelude played by the melodious violin that touched the audience's heart along with the ethereal piano sounds from Professor Patrick Lechner.
The two performers played together to play 14 pieces, ending with thunderous applause and cheers from the audience. Patrick Lechner also played “I Love You, China” as an encore. Professor Patrick Lechner (Austrian) shared, “‘I Love You, China’ is the most amazing piece I have heard in China. Tonight we are very happy to have the opportunity to play it again to convey our inner joy to the audience”.
At the end of the concert, audiences burst into applause, and the perfect performance made them reluctant to leave. The two professors played four encores before finally finishing the concert. The concert was extremely immersive. “Music is a bridge of communication! Writers use words to convey emotions, while musicians use notes to communicate with others,” said Gou Jing, a professional musician who attended the concert.
“The elegance of classical music never goes out of style! The beauty of classical music is unique and has given me a different experience of art, and indeed life,” audience Dai Xueling, a sophomore from the College of Teachers, said.
It is reported that the “Music in Chengdu for the World”—2021 Chengdu International Sister Cities Youth Music Festival will be held from October 22 to 28, with the main venue in the Chengdu Eastern Suburb Memory and 15 sub-venues including Deyang City, Chengdu districts (county-level cities) and counties, and the College of Chinese & ASEAN Arts of Chengdu University, which will hold a total of 19 performances online and offline. This event is sponsored by the Chengdu Municipal People’s Government, and jointly organized by the Foreign Affairs Office of the Chengdu Municipal People's Government, Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Culture, Broadcast-TV, and Tourism, People's Government of Chenghua District and Chengdu Media Group. The purpose of the event is to connect the world with music, help Chengdu to create new highlights for cultural exchanges with international sister cities, and enhance Chengdu's international popularity, so as to improve high-quality economic development through opening up, incorporate a large number of elements of the 31st FISU Summer World University Games Chengdu and introduce it to friends all over the world.
