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STRADIVARI SOCIETY^® NEWS

The Stradivari Society® In China
A Force for Classical Music around the World Becomes a Vital Part of the Burgeoning Music Scene in the People’s Republic

September 2002

Spectacular Concerts with International Superstar Lu Siqing
Feature Great Instruments and Glorious Music Making

In a triumphant tour de force, The Stradivari Society® and China’s foremost violinist and Society recipient Lu Siqing have joined forces for the third time and once again dazzled concertgoers with spectacular performances on rare instruments at sold-out venues in China from September 21-29, 2002. 

Lu Siqing Receives Loan of the “Wieniawski” Guarneri del Gesù Violin from Society Founder Mrs. Mary Galvin

Mary Galvin (left) and Geoffrey Fushi (right) present the “Wieniawski” del Gesù to Lu Siqing on stage at The Imperial Garden Concert Hall in Beijing’s Forbidden City

In recognition and appreciation for his exquisite artistry as well as his series of successful collaborations with the Society, Lu was awarded the loan of the one of the very finest of the Society’s collection of great instruments, a violin by Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù, Cremona, 1742, the “Wieniawski,” thanks to the generosity of Society Founder Mrs. Mary Galvin of the founding family of Motorola. The special presentation took place in Beijing’s Forbidden City at The Imperial Garden Concert Hall on stage before the first performance.



 

“I am honored to have been given the opportunity to play such an outstanding instrument. The ‘Wieniawski’ del Gesù has had an amazing impact on my playing! I would like to thank the Stradivari Society®, Geoffrey Fushi, and Mrs. Galvin for their firm support of me. I am sure many more people in China will benefit greatly in the future through our close cooperation."

Lu Siqing

Great Instruments Brought to China Especially for the Tour
In addition to the “Wieniawski” and the very fine Nicolò Amati of Cremona c 1635-40 that was then on loan to Lu from the Society, Geoffrey Fushi brought three great instruments, all masterworks by Antonio Stradivari, to China for Lu’s performances that were played throughout the tour. Also accompanying Geoffrey Fushi and Lu Siqing in China were Mrs. Galvin, Alec Fushi, and Society Director Li Ling.

“I was overwhelmed and deeply gratified with the response of concertgoers and government leaders to this loan. We are thrilled that our work has helped foster the growth of classical music in China. Siqing has been a true inspiration to young musicians in his homeland.”

Geoffrey Fushi

Tour Opening Press Conference Receives Comprehensive Coverage

Li Ling and Geoffrey Fushi show the press the rare violins brought to China for the tour

The extraordinary “buzz” surrounding this important tour brought all of Beijing’s major television and print media to the Tour Opening Press Conference at the Junshi Culture Club inside Tuanjie Lake Park on September 19. Major media present included BTV, CCTV (with a viewership of over half a billion), and CCTV International. The five rare violins were on display and Lu Siqing and Geoffrey Fushi fielded questions and gave numerous interviews.


 

“When I put the bow on the violin, I felt my heart swell ... I feel the instrument can express anything I want it to.” – Lu Siqing on playing the “Wieniawski” del Gesù.”

Beijing Entertainment, September 23, 2002

Glowing Reviews and Features
In-depth features stemming from the tour appeared in the November and December issues of the leading Chinese magazines and included lengthy interviews with Geoffrey Fushi and Lu Siqing as well as extensive background on the Society in Music Life, International Music, and Music Instrument.

Beijing Entertainment included high praise for Lu’s performance as well as extensive background on the violinist and Stradivari Society®, with a special focus on the five rare violins used for the performance, along with the presentation of the “Wieniawski.” Outside of Beijing, the local media flocked to cover Lu’s concerts in Tienjing and his hometown, Qingdao.

Alec Fushi, Li Ling, Geoffrey Fushi, Mary Galvin, Mrs. Tim Chen, Motorola China Chairman Tim Chen, and Vice President Jenny Wang at the Gala Tour-Opening Concert

Stellar Performances and Events Beijing—Forbidden City

The first concert of the tour, on September 21, was a spectacular success. The magnificent, 2000-seat Imperial Garden Concert Hall in the Forbidden City was filled to capacity. Lu Siqing gave a luminous first-time performance on the “Wieniawski.” He treated the audience to a program of European and Chinese masterworks: Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, the Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto by Chen Gang and He Zhanhao along with Sarasate’s Zigeunerweisen, performed with with the China Film Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Xieyang Chen


After the final notes were played, the audience lept to its feet and gave him a thunderous ovation. Lu graciously returned to the stage for an encore and enthralled concertgoers with the serenely beautiful “Meditation” from Massenet’s Thaïs. Joining Geoffrey Fushi in the audience were Mary Galvin, Alec Fushi, and Li Ling along with Motorola China Chairman Tim Chen and Vice President Jenny Wang.

“His excellent performance drew long applause from the audience.”

Beijing Entertainment September 23, 2002

 

Beijing—Zhong Nan Hai (the Chinese “White House”)

For an artist to be invited to the Zhong Nan Hai to perform is always a very special honor. For Lu Siqing, the command performance for the country’s top leaders on September 23 was one of the high points of his career:
The afternoon began with a lecture on the tonal qualities of great instruments by Geoffrey Fushi. Lu Siqing then performed with the China Film Symphony Orchestra conducted by Chen Xieyang and accompanied by pianist Huang Mengmeng. The program again blended classics of east and west and included Spring of Xinjiang by Ma Yaozhong and Li Zhonghan, Longing for Home by Ma Sicong, Han Tiehua’s Why are the Flowers So Red?, the Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto, Monti’s Czardas, Zigeunerweisen by Sarasate, and The Four Seasons.

“President Jiang’s love for music showed when he actually sang while I played Longing for Home again. I will always remember this moment,” said Lu. The President was especially interested in the exceptional sound of the “Wieniawski” del Gesù and asked that Lu play close to him so that he could appreciate its tonal qualities. Geoffrey Fushi, Mary Galvin, Motorola China Chairman Tim Chen, and Vice President Jenny Wang were among the very few to have been invited to this unique event.
As special thanks for the Society’s support of Lu Siqing through the years, President Jiang presented Mary Galvin and Geoffrey Fushi with beautifully illustrated books on Chinese Painting from Shanghai that were themselves works of art.

“To go to Zhong Nan Hai and be the only featured artist was a very special honor indeed. In fact, I no of no other instance where just one artist was show-cased there, so I am especially thrilled that I was chosen to be the first. Without President Jiang’s support and the support of the government, the development of classical music in China would not have progressed as rapidly.”  

Lu Siqing

Children from the Motorola Orphange with Tianjing’s Mayor (4th from left), Mary Galvin (6th from left), Lu Siqing (7th from left), Motorola China Vice President Jenny Wang (3rd from right), and other Motorola officials

Tianjing—MotorolaManufacturing Plant
Lu Siqing reprised his Zhong Nan Hai program with pianist Huang Mengmeng accompanying and delighted the workers at Motorola’s Manufacturing Plant and children from the Motorola Orphanage on September 24. Dignitaries attending included the Mayor of Tianjing, Mary Galvin, and top Motorola China officials including Vice President Jenny Wang.

Lu Siqing takes a bow with Qingdao’s finest young musicians

Qingdao—Lu Siqing Makes an Emotional Homecoming
A sold-out house of 1,800 on September 29 welcomed Lu Siqing home for what Vice Mayor Ma called, “the most successful concert in the history of the town.” Once again, the violinist dazzled the audience with his performance of Chinese and European classics. All of Qingdao’s major political leaders were in the audience. The Qingdao Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Li Hongmao as well as pianist Huang Mengmeng accompanied. A high point of the evening came when 100 very young aspiring violinists chosen from local music schools took the stage to perform with Lu. The people of Qingdao expressed their gratitude for The Stradivari Society’s loan of the “Wieniawski” to Lu Siqing with a standing ovation for Society Chairman Geoffrey Fushi. And there was a line for autographs from Geoffrey Fushi and Lu Siqing after the concert!

“This is such an exciting time in China. There is so much love and respect for the arts. Western classical music has been enthusiastically embraced by musicians, music lovers, and the central government along with their own distinguished traditions. ”

Geoffrey Fushi

Geoffrey Fushi and President Jiang Zemin in the audience for Lu Siqing’s Chicago performance

Chicago—Mayor Daley Hosts a Special Evening for People’s Republic of China President Jiang Zemin
On October 22, President Jiang visited Chicago as part of a multi-city State Visit to the United States. Mayor Richard Daley hosted a formal dinner in honor of the visit. Geoffrey Fushi and Lu Siqing teamed once again to make this special event truly one to remember. “Being a part of this spectacular special event for President Jiang back in my hometown was the perfect way to end our tour, ” commented Fushi. Over 400 attended including the Ambassador to China Jiechi Yang, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Galvin, Christopher Galvin, Geoffrey Fushi, Alec Fushi, Li Ling, and Chairman of Motorola China Tim Chen.

Guests attending the Mayor Daley event (beginning 2nd from left): Tim chen, Li Ling, Jenny Wang, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Galvin, Geoffrey Fushi, Lu Siqing, Huang Kuanghao, and members of the Motorola staff.

Geoffrey Fushi Gives Two Lectures to Leading
Collectors Group
Leading instrument collector Zhongquang Fan of the Musical Instrument Collectors Society in Beijing invited Geoffrey Fushi to lecture on September 21 at the club’s elegant headquarters and January 22 at the Tan Bo Artists Museum. For both talks, Fushi shared his insights on the master Italian violin makers, tonal qualities of great instruments, and the mystery of Stradivari with the fascinated audience. He also had the opportunity to meet and enjoy tea with several local collectors and makers of traditional Chinese instruments. The very talented 14-year-old violinist, Yang Tianwa, assisted Fushi in both discussions of tonal qualities by playing excerpts on several rare instruments.

 

Special Thanks Our deepest appreciation goes to Lu Siqing’s wonderful, dynamic wife Joanna, an invaluable help during the tour. Many thanks also to Happy Xi, whose wit and infectious humor kept us laughing, and whose excellent photography documented this landmark tour.

Lu Siqing on the Importance of Being a Stradivari Society® Recipient I have been a Stradivari Society® recipient for more than four years now. During this time, with the help of the Society and the loan of the wonderful Nicolò Amati, I was able to further my career in a great way. But the most important thing was that I was able to establish a great relationship with the Society and my patron, and together we were able to do many events that were far greater than just playing concerts, and have much more meaning in the area of music exchange between the U.S. and China. I think through my collaborations with The Stradivari Society®, we have created something very special and unique. Before our first concert in 1999, there had never been so many great violins in China at the same time. But three years later, our “World Famous Violins, Music, and Musicians” concert is now a nationally renowned “brand name” along with Bein & Fushi and The Stradivari Society®. The Society’s support of young rising stars and keeping our classical music traditions alive is absolutely vital.

January-February 2003
Building on Success—A New Recipient, Lu Siqing in
a Special Concert, and Television Features

 

New recipient Liu Yunzhi with Li Ling, Geoffrey Fushi, and Guo Shan, Vice Director of the China National Symphony Orchestra

Geoffrey Fushi returned to the People’s Republic in January to build on the progress made with the September tour. Once again, Lu’s performances and the work of the Society received major media accolades and overwhelming public support. Accompanying and assisting Geoffrey Fushi during the visit were Alec Fushi and Li Ling.

A New Recipient is Named — A Tradition Continues
Liu Yunzhi, distinguished concertmaster of the China National Symphony, became the second Stradivari Society® recipient in China with the loan of a superb violin by Nicolò Amati, Cremona c 1635-40. The instrument was previously awarded to Lu Siqing. Geoffrey Fushi and Li Ling presented the Amati to Liu on stage at the China National Symphony’s 2003 New Year Concert in Beijing on January 11. The ceremony received extensive coverage in the Beijing Evening News which also included background on the Society and its mission.

Liu has served as concertmaster of the China National Symphony since his graduation from JiLin Art Institute in 1985. He has collaborated with renowned conductors, composers, and artists including Seiji Ozawa, Lord Yehudi Menuhin, Charles Dutoit, Krzysztof Penderecki, and Isaac Stern. Liu represented his country as first violin in the string quartet that visited Romania and Russia on behalf of the Chinese government. In 2000 Liu pursued advanced studies at the Munich Conservatory of Music where he studied with Sebestyen and graduated with top honors.

“Liu Yunzhi himself and the China National Symphony Orchestra express their heartfelt thanks to the American Stradivari Society. And our deepest gratitude to the Society for its support and the attention they have given to the China National Symphony and the Chinese orchestra community.”

China National Symphony Program Book, January 11, 2003

Beijing Youth Daily Appoints Lu Siqing Its Ambassador and Sponsors Special Concert

Beijing Youth Daily’s in-depth feature on Lu Siqing, Geoffrey Fushi, and The Stradivari Society®

In a major coup for Lu Siqing and The Stradivari Society®, one of Beijing’s largest newspapers, Beijing Youth Daily sponsored a performance in Beijing on January 18 entitled, “Rhythm of Growing - Lu Siqing, Master Violin & Masterpieces.” The title reflects the parallel growth over the last 15 years of Beijing Youth Daily from a four-page weekly publication to the leading metro daily with over 50 pages and a circulation of over 600,000, and Lu Siqing, from his spectacular first prize in the prestigious Paganini Competition—the first Asian to ever take top honors—to his career as an internationally renowned soloist.

Lu is only the third Ambassador and first musician appointed in the publication’s nearly 50 years in print. The handsome program featured a retrospective in reprints of the publication’s coverage of Lu’s career since 1984. A grateful Lu Siqing commented, “It is a privilege and honor to have this extraordinary opportunity to use Beijing Youth Daily’s mass media platform to foster support for classical music in words and through my music.”

“This concert was like a bridge, and the distance between me and my audience is shortened through music.”

Lu Siqing in Beijing Today

The elegant evening began at the Beijing Century Theatre with an Oscar-calibre reception for 100 VIP guests and celebrities, representing China’s elite. Lu thrilled concertgoers with his performance of “Spring” and “Winter” from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, the Butterfly Lovers Concerto, and the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with the Beijing Symphony Orchestra, Tan Lihua, conductor.

Beijing Youth Daily gave extensive coverage to the appointment and followed with continued reports leading up to the January 18 concert. Post-concert support included another full page of special coverage included an interview with Lu Siqing featuring a history of the collaboration between the violinist and Geoffrey Fushi, as well as background on The Stradivari Society®. “It is very gratifying to see such a blossoming of interest and enthusiasm for our work and our mission,” Fushi commented. Additional events for the year are in the planning stages.