Visit by First Concertmaster of the Berliner Philharmoniker

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Date:2024-05-08

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On the morning of May 7, Wang Rui, President of Zhejiang Conservatory of Music, and Dong Dejun, Vice President of Zhejiang Conservatory of Music, met with Noah Bendix-Balgley, First Concertmaster of the Berliner Philharmoniker in Germany, and Christoph Traxler, Piano Professor at University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna in Austria.

President Wang Rui extended a warm welcome to the artists on behalf of Zhejiang Conservatory of Music. He pointed out that the Berliner Philharmoniker, founded in the 19th century, is one of the world's top symphony orchestras with a group of excellent conductors and performers. It has always won unanimous praise from the music circles of various countries for its rigorous playing style, superb skills and unique understanding of the content of the works and has been known as "the messenger of spreading music". Then, President Wang Rui briefly introduced Zhejiang Conservatory of Music and Chamber Music Academy. He said that as an art university in the new era with the development goal of "high-level and first-class university", Zhejiang Conservatory of Music has always adhered to the principle of opening up to the outside world, attached great importance to international exchanges and cooperation, and hoped to carry out continuous cooperation with top orchestras and artists represented by the Berliner Philharmoniker.

The two artists thanked Zhejiang Conservatory of Music for its warm and thoughtful arrangements, especially fully affirming the performance quality of Hangzhou Quartet. They said that Zhejiang Conservatory of Music is a vibrant music college and also a university with keen judgment on the development trend of music art. Zhejiang Conservatory of Music has given them the best stage support, and the teachers and students of Zhejiang Conservatory of Music have given them the most enthusiastic feedback. They hope to have more opportunities to exchange and perform in Zhejiang Conservatory of Music in the future.

On the evening of May 6, the Standard Concert Hall was packed. The two artists brought an unforgettable music feast to teachers and students. The two-and-a-half hour concert included Mozart's Sonata No. 18 for Violin and Piano in G Major, Korngold's "Much Ado About Nothing" Suite (for violin and piano), Ravel's Sonata No. 2 for Violin and Piano in G Major, Franck's Sonata for Violin and Piano in A Major, as well as selections from Porgy and Bess composed by Gershwin and adapted by Heifetz. The arrangement of the works reflects the blend of classical, modern, traditional and popular jazz styles, which are perfectly interpreted and presented to the audience on site.

At the end of the concert, the two artists presented two encores, namely Kreisler's Tambourin Chinois and Tchaikovsky's most beautiful "Melody" (Memory of a Dear Place or Memory of a Beloved Place, Op. 42, Movement 3), to express their joy at coming to China, Hangzhou and Zhejiang Conservatory of Music.