Young musicians from China, US strike chord of friendship in New York

Young musicians from China and the United States came together in New York to foster cultural exchange through music.

Wei Zijian, an award-winning pianist from China and the 2024 champion of the Cleveland International Piano Competition, joined four orchestra members from the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America to perform for 200 guests at the "Youth Dialogue for the Future" concert, held on Thursday at the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in New York.

The event was co-presented by the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America, or NYO-USA, an ensemble organized by Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute, and Piano Cleveland, host of the Cleveland International Piano Competition.

"I hope today is not only a music get-together but also an initiative and a commitment which hopefully will become a beautiful tradition in the future. I hope that more and more young friends from China and the United States will feel together towards a peaceful, friendly and hopeful tomorrow on the post of music and culture," said Chen Li, Consul General of China in New York.

Clive Gillinson, executive and artistic director of Carnegie Hall, described NYO-USA as a group of young musicians brought together from across the US and the world to form a community where they can learn from one another.

The group will soon embark on a tour across Asia, which Gillinson said he believes will help bring global communities together through music.

"We don't have to speak the language of music. Everybody understands the language of music. And for us to have these brilliant young players going around the world as youth ambassadors for America, connecting with people all around the world…these things are particularly important at times when relationships are more difficult between countries. Cultural connection and cultural exchange become ever more important," he said.

Mary Ann Huntsman, a Carnegie Hall Trustee and Chair, as well as an NYO Council, added that these young musicians "are preparing not only to perform in China, but to connect, to listen, and to build friendships across cultures and borders.

"[This concert] really is a way to bridge both countries together," Huntsman said.

"I've come to believe that the most meaningful progress often begins not in policy rooms, but in concert halls, classrooms, and moments of shared beauty," she said. "As the National Youth Orchestra prepares for its upcoming journey, we carry more than instruments. We carry a belief that the arts can soften what divides us, strengthen what unites us, and inspire the kind of understanding that policy alone cannot."

Yaron Kohlberg, artistic director of Piano Cleveland, praised the performance at the consulate for fostering mutual understanding. He also noted that Wei was selected as the First Prize Winner "out of almost 300 applicants from 28 countries." As part of his prize, Wei will perform a solo recital at Carnegie Hall on October 26.

"I think that any opportunity for cultural exchange between China and the United States, and China and the rest of the world, is commendable. Music is one of the best ways to bring people together because this is a mutual language. This is really a language that anybody can speak," he said. "It doesn't even matter where you come from, or what background you have. You will always be able to enjoy music."

Wei, the champion, described the performance at the Chinese Consulate as a unique experience, calling the concert a symbol of "peace and friendly exchange" with the young NYO-USA musicians.

"Even though we only had two rehearsals and didn't speak much, we communicated a lot through the music. I would pass musical phrases to them with certain dynamics or phrasing, and they would respond musically in return. It was a great collaboration and a very memorable experience," he said.

"To me, this represents not only artistic excellence but also fairness and openness," Wei said, expressing pride in receiving one of the top piano competition awards in the US as a Chinese musician. He also shared his excitement about performing at Carnegie Hall this October, calling it an iconic venue where "it feels like you've been recognized on the world stage."

Youth performers from NYO-USA also enjoyed collaborating through music, finding joy in connecting across different cultural backgrounds and looking forward to the tour in Asia.

"We collaborated with the pianist, inevitably the cultures are going to mesh, and I feel that is going to be applicable for both American viewers and Chinese viewers," violist Dana Chung said.

"Playing in such a cultural hotspot really means a lot to us…I feel like there are no barriers when it comes to classical music between cultures. You know, and look, our group is very multicultural, the quartet. And I think we play and come from a lot of different places and that doesn't affect our playing," cellist Shaw Edwards said.

The writer is a freelance journalist for China Daily.