Embarking from Qingdao, The Yehudi Menuhin School Qingdao's 2023 national tour has already graced Weifang and Hefei, now arriving in Ningbo, once again delivering an enchanting feast of music. On April 22nd, The Yehudi Menuhin School Qingdao National Tour made its much-anticipated stop at the Ningbo Concert Hall, captivating an audience of over 500 onlookers with the allure of classical music.
The concert formally commenced with a welcoming address by Mark Stringer, the deputy head of the Yehudi Menuhin School Qingdao. He warmly welcomed the attendees and provided a comprehensive introduction to the school. Prior to the performance, an engaging etiquette class on how to appreciate a concert was offered, in which the host actively interacted with the young audience, stirring an enthusiastic atmosphere.
As the mellow strains of the violin filled the air, the concert officially began. Students specializing in keyboard, strings, and wind instruments took turns gracing the stage, playing a variety of instruments including violin, piano, cello, flute, horn, and trumpet. They presented a rich tapestry of music reflecting various styles: the grandeur of the Baroque, the discipline of the Classical, the freedom of the Romantic, and the evanescent nature of the Impressionistic. A notable highlight of the tour is the encouragement of close collaboration among students, with many performances accompanied by fellow students, or fully composed of student trios—an indication of full recognition and motivation. The concert seamlessly integrated diverse musical elements, perfectly exemplifying the wonderful nuances of different instruments, mesmerizing the audience and enveloping them in the emotion imbued within the music. Worth mentioning is that April 22nd coincides with the birthday of maestro Yehudi Menuhin. The students took to the stage with a buoyant confidence, honoring and continuing Menuhin’s spirit in the demeanor of future musicians.
Anatoli Komarovsky: Violin Concerto No. 2 in A major
I.Allegro giocoso
Violin: Wang Xize
Instructed by: He Shucong
Piano accompaniment: Wang Zikang
Astor Piazzolla: The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires
Il. Verano Porteño
I.Invierno Porteño
Piano Trio: Chen Haoyang, Jing Haoran, Kuang Yihao
Instructed by: Shi He
Boccherini Rondo
Gaspar Cassado-Requiebros
Cello: Kuang Yihao
Instructed by: Yu Mingqing
Piano accompaniment: Shi He
Gaetano Donizetti Sonata in C major for Flute and Piano
Flute: Liu Yudi
Instructed by: Ma Yong
Piano accompaniment: Wang Zikang
Trygve Madsen: Sonata for Horn and Piano, op. 24
I.Allegro
II.Quasi menuetto
Horn: Ma Tianyi
Instructed by: Gu Cong
Piano accompaniment: Shi He
Jean-Baptiste Arban: Fantasie Brillante for Trumpet Bb and Piano
Trumpet: Liu Yinglu
Instructed by: Dai Zhonghui
Piano accompaniment: Shi He
Alberto Ginastera: Danzas Argentinas, op. 2
No. 1: Danza del viejo boyero
No. 2: Danza de la moza donosa
No. 3: Danza del gaucho matrero
Piano: Yang Botian
Instructed by: Xu Fei
Franz Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 11 in A minor, S. 244/11
Piano: Zhang Wenting
Instructed by: Xu Fei
The grand finale of the concert was masterfully executed by Associate Professor of Violin Tymur Melnyk and Associate Professor of Piano Patrick Lechner. They performed the classic pieces, Tzigane and Morgen. The first piece, imbued with vibrant ethnic charm, enchanted the audience with its unrestrained melodies and dazzling array of tones. The second piece was a showcase of the performers' exquisite skills, complemented by a melodious tune that gently rose and fell, pushing the music to its zenith. As the performance concluded, it was met with thunderous applause.
Maurice Ravel: Tzigane Rhapsody for violin and piano
Richard Strauss: Morgen op. 27
Violin：Tymur Melnyk
Piano：Patrick Lechner
Apart from his performance, Tymur Melnyk also held two master classes on the 21st and 22nd of April. Local violin students in Ningbo had meticulously prepared their performance pieces and displayed them one by one. After carefully appreciating their performances, Melnyk provided individualized guidance and demonstrations, helping everyone overcome difficulties in pitch, performance technique, speed, and detail handling. The students unanimously expressed that they not only learned many new skills in the master class, but also deepened their understanding and perception of violin music, thus better expressing the composer's intended sentiment through their performance.
As Deputy Head Mark Stringer said, “The melody ends, but the spirit lingers on.” He warmly invited music-loving families from Ningbo to visit the Yehudi Menuhin School Qingdao in person, to gain an in-depth understanding of the school's commitment to Yehudi Menuhin's holistic educational philosophy and its system of nurturing future musicians. Looking ahead, the national tour will continue to more provinces and cities, facilitating in-depth exchanges with more music-loving families.