Lyu Siqing to grace SZ with two concerts
Chinese violinist Lyu Siqing will present two concerts at Shenzhen Concert Hall this year. Lyu burst onto the international music stage when he became the first Asian violinist to win the first prize at the prestigious Paganini International Violin Competition in Italy in 1987.
Prior to this, at the age of 11, he was selected by legendary violinist Yehudi Menuhin to study at the Yehudi Menuhin School in England and was subsequently a junior prizewinner in the inaugural Menuhin Competition in 1983. In 1989, he went to the Juilliard School in the United States. Currently based in Beijing, Lyu performs across the globe with the world’s finest orchestras.
Trio
Lyu Siqing
Lyu will collaborate with pianist Sun Yingdi and cellist Namisa Sun to play Rachmaninoff’s “Trio Elégiaque No. 1 in G Minor,” Mendelssohn’s “Piano Trio No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 49,” Piazzolla’s “The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires” and “Passacaglia” by Handel and Halvorsen.
“Passacaglia” with its dual attribution to Handel and Halvorsen is a famous virtuoso piece for violin and cello published by Norwegian composer Halvorsen in 1894 and based on the final movement from German composer Handel’s harpsichord piece “Suite in G Minor, HWV 432” published in 1720.
Piazzolla’s “The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires” is a set of four tango compositions. The pieces were scored for his quintet of violin, piano, electric guitar, double bass and bandoneon. Piazzolla gives an impression of the four seasons in Buenos Aires, with several references to Vivaldi’s famous “The Four Seasons.”
Time: 8 p.m., July 18
Tickets: 80-680 yuan
Recital
Lyu will perform Brahms’ “Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Major, Op. 100,” Saint-Saëns’ “Violin Sonata No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 75” and “The Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto” by Chen Gang and He Zhanhao. Pianist Xue Yingjia will accompany him.
The “Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto,” composed in 1958, is one of the best-loved classical compositions in China and Lyu’s rendition is widely considered the best after the piece’s original version by violin soloist Yu Lina and by late violinist Sheng Zhongguo (1941-2018).
Time: 8 p.m., Sept. 5
Tickets: 80-680 yuan
Booking: WeChat account “szyyt_piao”
Venue: Shenzhen Concert Hall, Futian District (福田区深圳音乐厅)
Metro: Line 3 or 4 to Children’s Palace Station (少年宫站), Exit D