Rising pianist stuns New York in soaring debut

Rising star Wei Zijian's first piano recital at Carnegie Hall's famed Zankel Hall in New York on Oct 26 drew glowing praise from the audience, who hailed his performance as "incredible" and "wonderful", rewarding him with several standing ovations.

"It was incredible!" said Wendy Zhulkovsky, an audience member from Connecticut. "I'm really amazed. We're sitting in the front. His footwork is really something. We have a perfect view of it. It's really playful. He's always stretching on his way to press the pedals."

The 26-year-old Chinese pianist's performance was delicate and melancholy, as his hands effortlessly glided over the piano's keys in front of the packed hall.

"I really enjoy performing on stage and sharing music with people all over the world," Wei said. "Music is a universal language. I really enjoy talking to people through music. It's like a conversation or singing to the audience."

His recital included Mozart's Piano Sonata in A Major, Beethoven's Piano Sonata No 28 in A Major, Scriabin's Piano Sonata No 5, and Samuel Barber's Excursions.

The audience sat spellbound, immersed in passages so light and airy, they felt like a cool breeze.

John Olejko, from Cleveland, Ohio, described the first half of the two-hour performance as "wonderful".

"Whether it's slow, medium or fast, he's getting all the notes. He's captivated the audience. He's very good at that," he told China Daily. "He has such a pleasant presence."

Wei, an emerging star, is off to an incredible start in his career, having clinched the 2024 Mixon First Prize at the prestigious Cleveland International Piano Competition. He currently divides his time between Beijing and Cleveland.

Yaron Kohlberg, acclaimed Israeli pianist and artistic director of the Cleveland International Piano Competition, is clear about what makes Wei stand out from other young artists.

"He's authentic; he's mature," Kohlberg said. "He has incredible piano skills. Nowadays, a lot of young pianists try to show off, but he's just so true to the music and has such a vision. His control of sound and mastery of the instrument are extraordinary."

Kohlberg added that it is a "privilege for us to be able to help young artists. This is our greatest passion, of course. That has been the primary mission of the organization for more than 50 years."

Wei has won various accolades including the Best Chamber Music Performance award, the Henle Verlag Urtext Special Prize, the Audience Choice prize, and the Young Judge prize.

He has performed with renowned orchestras in North America, Europe and China, including the Cleveland Orchestra, the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, the Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Central Conservatory of Music Symphony Orchestra.

He has also appeared with the Changsha Symphony Orchestra, the Sichuan Conservatory of Music Symphony Orchestra, the Zhengzhou Philharmonic Orchestra and the Wuhan Philharmonic Orchestra, among others. He is set to perform at the Tonhalle in Zurich, Switzerland, in 2026.

"If there is any moment when the audience is touched, then I feel it is the right thing that I'm doing on stage," Wei said humbly. "What I hope to give people is the feeling that no matter how hard life is, or how happy it is, it is always better when music is with you."

He opened the second half of his recital with an up-tempo start before easing into a slower, reflective pace. He said that he was thrilled to perform in New York.

"This is my debut here, and performing at Carnegie Hall, such a prestigious venue, is so meaningful and unforgettable for me," he said. "Being here is like a dream come true. I used to see this dressing room in documentary films, and now I'm here!"

Chen Li, consul general of the People's Republic of China in New York, was in attendance during the recital and congratulated Wei afterward.

Looking ahead, Wei said: "I'm hoping to create my own sound. I'm not dreaming of becoming a legendary pianist, but I want to have my own voice so that every time people hear me play, they recognize my sound, my voice."

Molly Llewellyn, from the San Francisco Bay Area in California, believes that he has already done so.

"I'm impressed that he's able to take such an intricate piece of music and interpret it in a way that feels kind of modern," she said.

Zhulkovsky added, "I'm looking forward to a few years from now, when I can tell people 'yeah, I saw him (early on in his career) when he was playing here in New York!'"

belindarobinson@chinadailyusa.com