Yin Chengzong facts for kids

Yin Chengzong (born 1941) is a famous Chinese pianist and composer. He was born on Gulangyu Island in Xiamen, Fujian, which is often called the "Piano Island." He is well-known for arranging and performing the exciting Yellow River Piano Concerto.

Early Life and Music Training

Yin Chengzong started playing the piano when he was seven years old in 1948. He gave his first public performance, called a recital, when he was just nine. At the age of twelve, he joined a special school at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music to continue his piano studies.

In 1959, Yin Chengzong won an award at a big event in Vienna, Austria. The next year, in 1960, he went to study at the Leningrad Conservatory in Russia. In 1962, he won second prize at the important International Tchaikovsky Competition. This was a big achievement for a young pianist. Later, in 1965, he became a solo performer with the Central Symphony Orchestra of China.

Music During a Special Time

During a period in China called the Cultural Revolution, many Western art forms, like classical music, were not allowed. But Yin Chengzong found a way to use his talent.

In 1969, he helped create a piano version of The Legend of the Red Lantern. This was one of the few plays allowed at that time. It was a refreshing change for people who missed Western music.

Yin Chengzong also helped arrange the famous Yellow River Piano Concerto in 1969. He worked with other musicians to create this piece based on the Yellow River Cantata. The concerto uses Western instruments like the piano and orchestra. However, its music is strongly influenced by traditional Chinese folk melodies. In the final part of the concerto, he even included the melody of the song The East Is Red.

During this time, in 1973, Yin Chengzong joined the Chinese Communist Party. He also changed his name for a while. His original name, Chengzong, meant "carrying on the ancestral legacy." This was seen as old-fashioned. So, he changed it to Chengzhong, which means "sincere and loyal." When he moved to the United States later, he went back to using his original name.

Performing Around the World

In 1983, Yin Chengzong moved to the United States. That same year, he performed for the first time at Carnegie Hall in New York City. This is a very famous concert hall.

Since then, Yin Chengzong has performed with many world-famous orchestras and conductors. He has played with the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also performed in major cities like Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, and Toronto. His solo performances have even been shown on television, including on CBS Sunday Morning.

Yin Chengzong used to be a professor and artist at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Today, he lives in New York City. He has released more than 20 music albums. These include recordings of music by Chopin and Debussy, as well as his well-known Yellow River Concerto.