Virtuoso musician brings audio feasts

Writer: Liu Minxia | Editor: Liu Minxia | From: | Updated: 2023-09-18

Futian District hosted three Fang Jinlong New China Chic Folk Music Concerts from Friday to Sunday, where the virtuoso musician who can play over 100 musical instruments collaborated with a motley of musicians to stage public audio feasts at venues such as Shenzhen Concert Hall and One Avenue shopping mall.

Fang, 60, is especially good at playing the five-stringed pipa. Known for his quirky approach to classical performances, Fang didn't found fame until in his late 50s although he started to learn music at 6. It was on Dec 31, 2019 when he became a viral star after giving a 12-minute performance at the New Year's Eve concert livestreamed by video-sharing platform Bilibili. The performance, featuring Fang performing alongside a 100-strong orchestra, saw Fang play an array of traditional musical instruments from China, India, Italy and Japan.

Fang was first introduced to music by his father, a pipa player in a local Huangmeixi opera troupe, and started to play liuqin (a four-stringed Chinese mandolin) at 6.

To appeal to young fans, Fang often incorporates elements from Chinese martial arts culture, American folk music and Japanese anime. At Fang's concerts in Futian, he collaborated with established musicians including guitar players, singers, and composers of different ethnic groups and employed various ethnic instruments, including those from Han, Tibetan and Uyghur ethnic groups.