Young cellist wows audiences at homeland concerts

The show at the NCPA two weeks ago was his first attempt at blending his elaboration and playing. His second stop will be on Jan 4 at Ullens Center for Contemporary Art.

"I like adapting music pieces, which are not for cello, into cello versions," says Feng, who first played a cello adaptation from French composer Maurice Ravel's Tzigane at Beijing Concert Hall in 1996, when he was 17.

"I want to share with the audience what I have learned and how I understand those classical music pieces," he adds.

Feng's music journey started accidentally. He had dreamed of becoming a painter since childhood but was chosen to study cello at 5 years old by Liu Zhengtan from Feng's hometown, Changchun, the capital city of Jilin province. Liu persuaded Feng's parents because he believed in the kid's talent.

Four years later, Liu took the 9-year-old Feng to Beijing to apply to the primary school affiliated to the Central Conservatory of Music. Feng then began learning with renowned cellists, including Zhou You and Chen Yuan.

"Liu influenced me a lot and because of his training, I always want to challenge myself and find out my potential," Feng recalls.

That's why he gave up enrollment in the Central Conservatory of Music and went to Germany in 2001, where he studied with Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt, one of the world's leading cellists.

The early days were not easy for Feng, since the lessons and approach were different in Germany than in China.

"Schmidt gave me some simple pieces to practice again and again. I didn't understand and asked him. Later I knew that he didn't want to polish my skills but to make me feel the emotion and to find my own style," Feng says.

One of the happiest things for Feng was playing at various music festivals, where he could meet young musicians from all over the world. He realized that what makes a musician successful is to display his personal charisma onstage to identify his style.

"As a cellist from China, I have a different personality and cultural background from Western musicians. Those are my advantages and I am trying to merge those treasures into my playing," he says.