Canadian pianist Hamelin holds a concert on Gulangyu Island and experiences Xiamen folk customs and food

China News Service, Xiamen, October 5 (Li Siyuan, Shen Qi) During the China National Day holiday, Gulangyu Island in Xiamen was filled with music. Marc-André Hamelin, a Canadian pianist and artist-in-residence on Gulangyu Island, took a boat to this "Island of Music" and gave two piano solo concerts at the Gulangyu Concert Hall.

"This place is so magical." After setting foot on Gulangyu Island for the third time, Hamelin still praised without hesitation, "I really feel that there is no place that can compare with it." Above the palace, he is recognized as the "technical ceiling" in the piano world; outside the palace, this pianist from afar is more willing to catch the fireworks of this island with his footsteps, taste buds and laughter.

As a legend in the contemporary piano world, Hamelin's name has long been equated with "almost superhuman skills" - he was honored in the Gramophone Hall of Fame, won the Juno Award seven times, and was nominated for a Grammy eleven times. In the autumn of 2025, he officially signed a contract to become the ninth artist-in-residence of the "Gulangyu Island-Resident Artist Program".

When talking about his impressions of the island, Hamelin opened up. "The audience here is great and the place is beautiful. As far as I know, Gulangyu itself is a little paradise." He especially likes the fact that there are no cars on the island. "This is definitely worth emulating in other places because it creates a very special and peaceful atmosphere. You can walk freely on the streets without any worries about safety."

Unlike many performers, Hamelin never rehearsed the recital repertoire on the eve of the performance. Instead, he sat alone in front of the piano in the concert hall, improvised and relaxed. In these two concerts, he brought Weinberg's "Fifth Sonata", Chopin's "Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor", Debussy's "Imageries" Volume 2 and other works. The repertoire spans modern, romantic, impressionist and jazz styles, including unpopular masterpieces and classic adaptations. Among them, "Ancient Style Suite", which he composed himself, was premiered in China on Gulangyu Island and received a warm response from the audience.

On the evening of September 29, Canadian pianist and Gulangyu resident artist Marc-André Hamelin experienced local folk customs in Xiamen. (Photo provided by Gulangyu Management Committee)

After the concert, Hamelin always stayed to meet and sign autographs with fans. "Just a little thing like signing an autograph, they will treasure it for a lifetime," he said. "Not everywhere you can contact the artist after the concert. Some performers don't want to do that, but I feel like I have to give something more than just playing the piano."

In addition to the hall stage, Hamelin also holds public welfare master classes to communicate face-to-face with Chinese students on performance techniques and musical expression. During the break between performances, he experienced Xiamen's folk cake betting with the crisp clatter of dice in a large porcelain bowl. "I didn't know much about cake betting at all beforehand, and I didn't win any big prizes, but it was quite fun to play."

After performing in China many times, Hamelin also became obsessed with Chinese hotpot. "I love hot pot. Really, I like all kinds of hot pot." He admitted that he is a type 1 diabetic, and hot pot is a perfect match for him. "If I didn't have this disease, I would eat everything you serve here, because it is so delicious." From the sound of the dice clanging in the cake bowl to the steam rising from the hot pot, Hamelin used his taste buds and laughter to record a vivid Chinese memory. (over)