Yin Chengzong facts for kids
Yin Chengzong is a famous Chinese pianist and composer. He was born in 1941 on Gulangyu Island in Xiamen, Fujian, China. This island is sometimes called "Piano Island" because many musicians come from there. Yin Chengzong is especially known for his incredible piano playing and for helping to create the famous Yellow River Piano Concerto.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and Musical Journey
Yin Chengzong began playing the piano in 1948 when he was seven years old. He gave his first public performance, called a recital, when he was only nine. At twelve, he joined a special school at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music to continue his studies.
In 1959, Yin Chengzong won an award at the World Youth Peace and Friendship Festival in Vienna, Austria. The next year, in 1960, he went to study at the Leningrad Conservatory in Russia. In 1962, he achieved second place at the important International Tchaikovsky Competition. This was a big achievement for a young pianist. By 1965, Yin Chengzong became a soloist, meaning he performed alone with an orchestra, for the Central Symphony Orchestra of China.
Creative Works During a Special Time
Music During the Cultural Revolution
During a period in China called the Cultural Revolution, which started in 1966, many Western art forms were not allowed. Despite these challenges, Yin Chengzong found clever ways to use his musical talent.
In 1969, he helped create a piano version of The Legend of the Red Lantern. This was one of the few plays, operas, and ballets that people were allowed to enjoy at the time. Even though it was based on existing music, it was exciting for music lovers who missed hearing Western-style music.
Another important work Yin Chengzong helped create was the Yellow River Piano Concerto. He and other musicians arranged this piece in 1969. It was based on an older work called the Yellow River Cantata. In the final part of the concerto, Yin Chengzong included a well-known Chinese melody called The East Is Red. The concerto used Western instruments like the piano and orchestra, but its music was strongly inspired by traditional Chinese folk songs.
Life in the United States
Performing Around the World
In 1983, Yin Chengzong moved to the United States. He faced some challenges in China after a big change in the government. In the same year, he performed for the first time at Carnegie Hall in New York City, which is a very famous concert venue.
Since then, Yin Chengzong has performed with many world-famous orchestras and conductors. He has played with the Philadelphia Orchestra under Eugene Ormandy, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra with Claudio Abbado, and the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra with Kirill Kondrashin. He has also performed in major American cities like Boston, San Francisco, and Chicago, and at Lincoln Center in New York.
His solo performances have been shown on television in China and on CBS Sunday Morning in the United States. Yin Chengzong used to be a professor and artist-in-residence at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Today, he lives in New York City.
Recordings and Albums
Yin Chengzong has released more than 20 music albums. These include recordings of music by famous composers like Chopin and Debussy. He also has a recording of his famous Yellow River Piano Concerto.
