Amor Fati: ZHAO Jiping and Tchaikovsky with LI Biao, Siqing Lu and NCPAO

Conductor Li Biao will join hands with violinist Lv Siqing and China NCPA Orchestra to present Zhao Jiping’s Violin Concerto No. 1. The program also includes Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 to create a dialogue across time and space. Friedrich Nietzsche once expressed his view of life with the term amor fati: a person who has amor fati or “love of fate” accepts all the happenings and situations in life, refusing to repent for or cover up the past. In Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, we can hear how the composer embraces and accepts fate. From the doubts and questions at the beginning to the joy and glory in the finale, what we see in this composition is how the Russian composer finally reaches a settlement with fate.

Nearly 130 years after the premiere of Tchaikovsky’s symphony, Chinese composer Zhao Jiping finished his Violin Concerto No. 1, a work that, like Tchaikovsky’s, features a distinctive nationalist style. The piece shows love for mankind that transcends national borders. As Zhao Jiping once said, “This piece is about great love. With a vivid secondary theme and a development full of inner conflicts, the music finds its way into the universal love for the true, the good and the beautiful in the end. I wish to embody the love for humanity that flows from my heart in this piece and touch a greater audience all around the world.”

By Gao Jie

LI Biao

LI Biao is one of the few artists in the world of classical music who can successfully be a conductor and performer at the same time. Since LI Biao appeared on stage as a conductor, his conducting career has developed rapidly in the past few years. He got inspiration and support from learning experiences with masters Christoph Eschenbach and Lawrence Foster.

In 2020, he took up the positions of the artistic director and permanent principal conductor of the Beijing Symphony Orchestra and principal conductor of the Tianjin Symphony Orchestra. Meanwhile, he continues to serve as a professor at Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin, professor at the Central Conservatory of Music, artistic director of the NCPA International Percussion Festival, and chief guest conductor of the National Philharmonic of Russia.

LI Biao was born in Nanjing, China, and began studying music at the age of five. In 1982, he entered the Central Conservatory of Music Middle School. When he graduated in 1988, as the first government-sponsored percussion major student in People's Republic of China, he was selected by the Ministry of Culture and sent to the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory to study with Professor Slukiyev. Upon graduation, he received the Russian national first-level music master's diploma and the gold graduation medal of Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory. In 1995, he received a scholarship from the German National Cultural Foundation and received the Master’s degree under the guidance of Professor Peter Sadlo from the Hochschule für Musik und Theatre München. When LI Biao was still a student, he had won many awards in various music competitions, including silver medal in the first International Dabrechen Music Competition. He is the world's first Chinese percussionist who won an international music competition.

LI Biao has performed in many world-renowned music festivals and has cooperated with many orchestras around the world, such as Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Bamberger Symphoniker, Arena di Verona, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Lyon Philharmonic Orchestra, NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra, Opéra national de Montpellier, Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Gulbenkian Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique de Marseille, Arturo Toscanini Philharmonic，Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra, China National Symphony Orchestra, China Philharmonic Orchestra, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Macau Orchestra, Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, Singapore Chinese Orchestra, etc. He has collaborated with many musicians, such as Mstislav Rostropovich, Christoph Eschenbach, Lawrence Foster, Jonathan Nott, Fabio Luisi, etc. He has performed in more than 70 countries and regions.

At the invitation of the Central Conservatory of Music, LI became the youngest professor and doctoral supervisor of the school at the age of 34 in 2003. In 2006, he became a tenured professor by Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin and became the first Chinese musician hired as a tenured professor in the world's top-tier art institution.

At the 2008 Summer Olympics, he was invited to perform and pre-record the music of the closing ceremony.

In 2008 and 2009, LI led his orchestra to complete a tour around 12 cities in China. During April and May in 2009, he performed 32 concerts in eight countries in Europe.

In 2008, LI was awarded the "National Spiritual Creator Honor Award" by Benz Auto-AMG-Life Magazine, and in 2009 he was awarded "China's Classic Successful Person of the Year" in 2009 by BAZAAR Men's Style.

Since 2010, LI has been invited to serve as music director of the Mercedes-Benz International Music Festival and the NCPA International Percussion Festival.

From May to June 2014, LI led his orchestra to go on the South American stage for the first time and went on a three-week grand tour, stopping at many famous theatres in South America, such as National Theatre of Uruguay, Municipal Theatre of Santiago, Theatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro, Teatro Colón, Sala São Paulo, and Teatro municipal Jorge Eliecer Gaitan. Their performances were loved by South American audiences.

In May 2017, as a percussion soloist, LI participated in “Millennial Road”, the theatrical performance for Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.

In 2018, LI performed at the Elbe Philharmonic Hall in Hamburg, Germany, and became the first Chinese musician that performed there. In the same year, LI Biao toured Copenhagen and Asia with the famous conductor Fabio Luisi and Danish National Symphony Orchestra. LI has performed many times in Europe's most influential classical music column programme Value Classical Music. He has recorded nine records for EMI and other world-renowned record companies. In 2015, he became a Sony Music contract artist.

In 2013, as the first Chinese conductor, LI was invited to conduct the Arturo Toscanini Philharmonic at the opening concert of the "Verdi’s 200th Anniversary Music Festival" in Italy. This performance was highly praised by Italian media. He was invited to lead the famous Orchestra of the Teatro Regio di Parma to tour New Year's concerts in five major cities in China. In the 2016/17 music season, LI once again conducted Orchestre Philharmonique de Marseille, and for the first time cooperated with Theatre Orchester Biel Solothurn and Janacek Philharmonic Ostrava. He also conducted The National Philharmonic of Russia’s first performance in China held in NCPA’s Concert Hall. In January 2017, LI once again teamed up with Brandenburg Sinfonia for a New Year's concert tour, and for the first time conducted a full set of Beethoven Symphony Concert Series in Germany in collaboration with the orchestra.

During the 2017/18 music season, LI conducted The National Philharmonic of Russia at the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall in Moscow in October 2017 and the concert was broadcasted worldwide. He also conducted the Greek Youth Symphony Orchestra at Thessaloniki Concert Hall. In the same month, LI conducted Novosibirsk Philharmonic Orchestra at the opening concert of the Christmas Art Festival at the Novosibirsk Philharmonic Hall, and led the group to complete its first Chinese music tour in the 2017/18 New Year Concert Season. In 2018, LI’s cooperation with the orchestras was closer and more frequent. He collaborated with the China NCPA Orchestra, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, Orchestre National de France, Orchestre Philharmonique de Marseille, Russian National Orchestra, South Korean KBS Symphony Orchestra, and many other international symphony orchestras.

Siqing Lu

In great demand as concert violinist in his native land China and abroad, Siqing Lu (pronounced See-Ching Lyu) bursted onto the international music stage when he became the first Asian violinist to capture the first prize at the prestigious Paganini International Violin Competition in Italy in 1987. Long recognized as one of the most outstanding Chinese violinists, Siqing has performed to acclaim in some of the world’s most prestigious concert halls in more than forty countries and territories worldwide, including the Musikverein in Vienna, Avery Fisher Hall and Alice Tully Hall in New York City, Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, Southam Hall at National Arts Centre in Ottawa, Maison Symphonique and Place des Arts in Montreal, Royal Opera House and Wigmore Hall in London, Theatre Des Champs Elysees and Louis XIV Opera House at Palace of Versailles in Paris, the Great Hall in Moscow, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Hamer Hall at the Arts Centre in Melbourne, the Esplanade in Singapore, Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi and the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing.

Siqing Lu has collaborated with many of the world’s esteemed musicians, including Lorin Maazel, Valery Gergiev, Leonard Slatkin, Edo de Waart, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Lawrence Foster, Jaap van Zweden, Osmo Vänskä, Bocelli, as well as leading Chinese musicians such as Long Yu, Lang Lang, Jia Lu, Muhai Tang, Shao-Jia Lu, Wen-Bin Jian, Chao-Liang Lin, Yujia Wang, Jian Wang, Yi Zhang, Xincao Li, Yang Yang, the Shanghai Quartet and Oscar award winner composer/conductor Tan Dun, with whom Siqing gave the world premiere of his violin concerto “Hero” in Poland in 2011.

Siqing Lu has performed with some of today’s leading orchestras such as the Philharmonia Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Halle Orchestra, Bilbao Symphony, Salzburg Chamber Orchestra, Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz, Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Vancouver Symphony, Russia National Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Yomiuri Nippon Symphony, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Symphony Orchestra of the NCPA, China Philharmonic Orchestra, China National Symphony Orchestra, and the National Symphony Orchestra of Taiwan, among others.

Siqing Lu appears regularly at many of the top music festivals and prestigious music events around the world. He is the Artistic Director of the National Centre for the Performing Arts May Festival in Beijing, and is on the Jury of several prestigious international competitions such as the Yehudi Menuhin International Youth Violin Competition and the Shanghai Isaac Stern International Violin Competition. In fall of 2016, he founded the Siqing Lu Shenzhen Futian International String Festival, of which he is the Artistic Director. In 2012, he formed the China Trio with cellist Li-Wei Qin and pianist Yingdi Sun, the trio quickly became one of the most prominent chamber music ensembles in China. In October of 2016, China Trio was invited as the Artists in Residence by the BASF Festival in Germany and gave the world premiere of Tan Dun’s piano trio “Resurrection”.

Siqing Lu appears regularly at many of the top music festivals and prestigious music events around the world. He is the Artistic Director of the National Centre for the Performing Arts May Festival in Beijing, and is on the Jury of several prestigious international competitions such as the Yehudi Menuhin International Youth Violin Competition and the Shanghai Isaac Stern International Violin Competition. In fall of 2016, he founded the Siqing Lu Shenzhen Futian International String Festival, of which he is the Artistic Director. In 2012, he formed the China Trio with cellist Li-Wei Qin and pianist Yingdi Sun, the trio quickly became one of the most prominent chamber music ensembles in China. In October of 2016, China Trio was invited as the Artists in Residence by the BASF Festival in Germany and gave the world premiere of Tan Dun’s piano trio “Resurrection”.

Over the past decades, Siqing Lu has received numerous international honors for his outstanding artistic achievement and social contributions, including Honorary Certificate from the United States House of Representatives, New Jersey Outstanding Achievement in Arts Award for Asian, California Senate Honorary Certificate, Honorary Certificate from the California Executive Committee of the House on multiple occasions, the Montblanc Outstanding Artist Award, China Youth Magazine's “The 100 Most Influential Young People of the 21st Century in China” award, etc. On September 16th of 2006, the City of Millbrae, California passed a legislation to have the date proclaimed as “Siqing Lu Day” in honor of Siqing’s achievements. He has also been invited to perform on numerous occasions at many important events such as the G20 Summit for Heads of State from around the world, including President of China Mr. Xi Jinping, President Obama, President Putin, Prime Minister Theresa May, President Hollande, Prime Minister Merkel, Prime Minister Trudeau, former President Bush and former Prime Minister Blair.

Siqing Lu was born in 1969 in Qingdao, China. He began to study violin at the age of four. As an eight-year-old child, he became the youngest student ever to be admitted by the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing as a special talented student and studied with Prof. Zhenshan Wang. At the age of eleven, the late Lord Yehudi Menuhin chose Siqing to study at his school in London. In 1984, he returned to China for advanced studies at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. Five years later, he went to the Juilliard School and studied with Dorothy DeLay and Hyo Kang. In addition to the Paganini First Prize, Siqing Lu was a prize winner in numerous international competitions, including those in Beijing, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Siqing Lu plays on a 1734 ex-Ricci Guarneri del Gesu violin, which is graciously loaned to him by his close friend Mr. J Zhou, a passionate music lover, collector and successful entrepreneur.

China NCPA Orchestra is the resident orchestra of the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Beijing. Since its founding in 2010, the orchestra has fast established itself as one of the most adventurous and dynamic orchestras in the country and earned an international reputation through extensive performances abroad. Numerous world-renowned artists have collaborated with the orchestra, including Lorin Maazel, Zubin Mehta, Valery Gergiev, Myung-Whun Chung, Christoph Eschenbach, Fabio Luisi, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Leif Segerstam, Gunter Herbig, Shao-Chia Lu, Xian Zhang, Rudolf Buchbinder, Stephen Kovacevich, Khatia Buniatishvili, Lang Lang, Yuja Wang, Haochen Zhang, Kyung-Wha Chung, Vadim Repin, Siqing Lu, NING Feng, Jian Wang, Gautier Capucon, Alison Balsom, Sabine Meyer, Placido Domingo, Leo Nucci, Renee Fleming among many others. Lorin Maazel worked closely with the orchestra before his passing and praised the musicians for their “amazing professionalism and great passion in music”. Christoph Eschenbach also declared it as “one of the finest orchestras in Asia”. Over the years, the orchestra has gained critical acclaim for its artistic excellence in both concerts and operas. To date they have played in over 60 NCPA opera productions, including classical repertoires such as Tristan and Isolde, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Aida, Otello, Nabucco, Tosca, Turandot, The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, Eugene Onegin, and newly commissioned works Rickshaw Boy, The Long March, Fang Zhimin, The Jinsha River, Visitors on the Snow Mountain and The Dawns Here Are Quiet. Their live recording of The Ring without Words with its creator, Lorin Maazel, was released on SONY Music worldwide, the only recording the great maestro ever made with an orchestra from China. The orchestra has consistently offered creative and diverse programmes through its concert season. As part of its continuous efforts to promote contemporary music, the orchestra presented the China Premieres of major works by John Adams, Toru Takemitsu et al. and gave the World Premieres of dozens of substantial new orchestral works commissioned from composers across the globe, including Qigang Chen, Bright Sheng, ZHAO Jiping, Michael Gordon, Kalevi Aho, et al. It has also played a significant role in the NCPA's Young Composers Programme, providing a unique platform nurturing the next generation of composers in China. The orchestra has consistently offered creative and diverse programmes through its concert season. As part of its continuous efforts to promote contemporary music, the orchestra presented the China Premieres of major works by John Adams, Toru Takemitsu et al. and gave the World Premieres of dozens of substantial new orchestral works commissioned from composers across the globe, including Qigang Chen, Bright Sheng, ZHAO Jiping, Michael Gordon, Kalevi Aho, et al. It has also played a significant role in the NCPA's Young Composers Programme, providing a unique platform nurturing the next generation of composers in China. With its commitment to educational and outreach activities, the orchestra has presented a series of Weekend Matinee Concerts at its home venue, providing local audience specially selected programmes and accessible ticket prices. The orchestra also frequently initiates wide-reaching educational projects in association with educational institutions across the city. In this unpredictable 2020, the NCPAO led by the Music Director LÜ Jia has collaborated with LI Xincao, CHEN Lin, LI Biao, YANG Yang, ZHANG Yi, Siqing Lu, Haochen Zhang and many other artists in presenting online concert series over 5 months period. In November, the NCPAO announced its 2020-21 season after several rounds of adjustments. The new season sees the orchestra’s performances in operas including Fang Zhimin, Visitor on the Snow Mountain, LAN Huahua, and the premiere of the NCPA’s new production of Gianni Schicchi. In celebration of the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth and the 160th anniversary of Mahler’s, Music Director LÜ Jia conducts the NCPAO in Egmont with actor SUN Qiang and a series of classic symphonies and chamber works of the two great composers. The 2020-2021 season features several Chinese artists’ debuts, among them YU Feng, ZHANG Jiemin, Jinxu Xiahou, Jianing Kong, Tianqi Du, and CHEN YUE. Highlights of the season also include the returns of ZHANG Guoyong, YUAN Ding, SONG Yuanming, Xuefei Yang, ZHANG Qiang, LI Jia, and David Wang. As the Composer-in-Focus, ZHAO Jiping’s music will be performed by the NCPAO throughout the season. In February 2012, LÜ Jia took up the post of Chief Conductor, succeeding Zuohuang Chen, NCPA’s then Artistic Director of Music as well as a founder of the orchestra. In January 2017, LÜ Jia started serving as NCPA's Artistic Director of Music and the NCPA Orchestra's Music Director.