China News Service, Beijing, October 23. Title: Music brings joy more than nervousness - an interview with Jiang Peiheng, a Chinese teenager who won the international piano competition
Reporter Zhang Su
"For me, the joy that music brings exceeds the tension of the game itself, so I don't have much energy left to worry about other things." Jiang Peiheng, a 16-year-old Chinese boy, said in a recent interview.
The 28th Lina Sara Gallo International Piano Competition, a member event of the World Federation of International Music Competitions (WFIMC), concluded recently in Monza, Italy, with Jiang Peiheng winning the championship. According to the judges’ evaluation data of each round published on the official website of the competition, he showed obvious advantages.
According to reports, the Lina Sara Gallo International Piano Competition was founded in 1947 and is one of the oldest piano competitions in Europe. There is no lower age limit for this event and the upper age limit is 30 years old. The competition examines young pianists through solo and concerto rounds, and supports the career development of the winners with bonuses, recording and performance opportunities, etc.
A total of 26 contestants were shortlisted for this year's main competition, including many young pianists who have participated in the world's top competitions such as the Chopin International Piano Competition and the Leeds International Piano Competition. As an underage contestant, Jiang Peiheng said that he did not consider the age difference too much during preparations and competitions, and he rarely paid attention to comparisons with other contestants.
"I pay more attention to the completion of the work itself, including the shaping of timbre, understanding of music narrative and score text, flexibility of technical movements, and the impact of performance space on sound presentation. These specific issues directly related to music are always where I invest the most energy," he said.
In this final, Jiang Peiheng performed Rachmaninov's "Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor" with the Milan Symphony Orchestra. "When playing live, I can immerse myself in the music and enjoy the beauty of the work. Even if there are occasional minor mistakes, I will not get too entangled and continue to focus on the expression of the music." He said.
After the game, an Italian media article stated that Jiang Peiheng's victory was eye-catching because of his youth and persuasive because of his performance. He has shown maturity in technique, style and expression.
Jiang Peiheng also won three of the five special awards in this competition, including the Massimo Galli Award for the best artistic performance in the semi-finals, the RSG Music Association Council Award for the youngest semi-finalist, and the Audience Special Award voted by the audience.
Jiang Peiheng revealed that since the award ceremony was in Italian, he could only roughly understand the content. "I was very surprised when I learned that I had won three special awards. When the first prize was finally announced and I heard my name, my inner joy was indescribable." He said that this has become a particularly precious and unforgettable moment in his growing up experience.
Jiang Peiheng was born in Nanjing and began learning piano at the age of 4. He began receiving systematic piano training at Nanjing IME International Music Education (Institute of Music Elites) in December 2023, studying under Cui Mutian.
Cui Mutian believes that in addition to age factors, reading accumulation, auditory literacy and perceptual sensitivity also affect the performer's understanding of music. Jiang Peiheng’s cultural studies and piano training go hand in hand, and cultural education and professional training together form the basis for growth.
In this competition, Chinese player Cai Yangrui won the runner-up, and Guo Bingchen and Li Yizhe from the Central Conservatory of Music also entered the second round of the main competition. Some analysts believe that solid basic skills and high-intensity training form an important foundation for Chinese players in the international arena.
"Whether they are violinists, conductors, or chamber music, more and more Chinese musicians are moving to the international stage and are recognized for their outstanding performances and artistic expressions." Jiang Peiheng said that he is honored to be one of them, learning and growing with everyone, and exchanging music on the international stage.
After returning with great honors, Jiang Peiheng has a full schedule. He will perform Grieg's "Piano Concerto in A minor" with the Nanjing Philharmonic Orchestra at the end of this year, and also plans to perform Rachmaninoff's "Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor" with the Long Bay Symphony Orchestra in the United States in the 2027-2028 season.
The 16-year-old Chinese teenager said he hopes to explore other subjects while maintaining professional piano studies. He said that international competition results open up new space for music development and will also retain a wider range of academic interests and choices, with a view to showing better artistic quality and expressiveness on the international music stage.
