Click the link to view the full version：WASCZ丨A Feast of Music: Alumna Cici Shi Piano Recital
The evening breeze on the West Taihu Lake sent a burst of pleasant piano sounds, and the alumna piano recital of Cici Shi at her alma mater was quietly opened. It was her first piano recital at WASCZ after three years of graduation.
As the first notes fell, she wove a dreamy melody with her fingers on the black and white keyboard, pouring her own emotions into the classical piano music. The romance of music seems to be that it can always give deep meaning to seemingly mundane images. As night fell, the gentle moonlight through Lakeside’s windows enveloped the scene, and we were immersed in a feast of music and a journey of the heart.
Since making the decision at the end of June, Cici has been preparing for the recital for almost two months, but in fact, the recital goes back much further. “Last year, I came back to see Ms. Liu (Cici’s piano teacher at WASCZ), and she already had the idea for me to come back to give a concert, but last year I didn’t have time because of time constraints.” Speaking of this, Cici showed some regret, so when her piano teacher Ms. Liu brought up the idea again this year, Ms. Liu agreed without hesitation, “because I have the correct piece of music and it’s quite interesting to meet with everyone again for the first time in such a form.”
The Beethoven Bagatelle No.10 p.33 was the first piece chosen by Shi. As the opening piece of the recital, this lively and bright piano piece focused the audience’s attention on Cici, with light music pouring out from her jumping fingertips, following the flowing notes, we were able to glimpse a little bit of her growth on the road of music.
“I’m not that kind of talented player.” Cici told us with a smile that although she has been in contact with the piano since she was a child, she was still a “blank sheet of paper” without any professional training in music theory when she transferred to WASCZ from a school within the system in her junior year of high school. For four years, she spent countless days and nights carrying music scores and textbooks between the piano room and the dormitory, confused about which country to study in, and pondering what she really wanted to do in the future. For Cici, learning to play the piano was like washing clothes in a dark room, you didn’t know if they were clean or not, you could only wash them over and over again. When the exams were over and the lights were on, you would realize that the clothes would be as bright as new if you had washed them carefully. And in the future, every time you wear this dress, you will remember that period of hard work.
Fate is always favorable to those who work hard enough, although at the beginning, Cici only held the mentality of “as long as I can be admitted to the university” to apply for the university, but she eventually successfully harvested the Royal Northern College of Music’s offer, and successfully received a scholarship for her outstanding submitted works. “The reason why I chose to transfer to WASCZ, was the strong music department and the excellent teachers who could lead me in this direction, and I got a lot of offers from many excellent conservatoires as I had hoped for”, said Cici, who is very graceful with the decision she made at the beginning of the process.
The romantic Haydn Sonata in E fat major requires the performer to possess a wealth of musical skills and forms of expression, and the player’s inner richness and abundance will give this classic piece of music a renewed charisma, in the interpretation of the students, the music penetrated the boundaries of time and space, and brought us back to the campus of WASCZ as remembered by Cici.
At the rehearsal site the day before the recital, Cici, dressed in a simple white T-shirt and jeans, walked towards us from Green Road and greeted us happily. At this moment her figure seemed to overlap with the one that was active in various school activities three years ago. In addition to the annual House Unison, every weekend as a member of Somerville House, she shuttle between the activities and competitions in WASCZ, she feels that this is a kind of collective sense of being in a team, and her life is therefore incredibly fulfilling, “After all, the upper school in WASCZ was so interesting, in addition to practicing the piano in the weekdays, I think it’s better to participate in more group activities, to expand my own expertise in various aspects.”
While playing this romantic sonata, there was no way for us to know whether Cici had any flashbacks of her wonderful high school life, but I believe that the rich and lively school years she spent at WASCZZ will become a precious existence that she will recall from time to time in the future.
As a dancer of the piano keys, she was sympathetic to the silent music. The deep and melodious Mozart Fantasie in C minor was not only a true portrayal of Mozart’s own inner feelings, but also told the story of the Cici’s life attitude of not succumbing to the difficulties on the way of music and seeking a road of success bravely.
On the long road of piano learning, sometimes there will be flowers all over the place, and sometimes, you need to be brave to cut through the thorns and thistles. “Look ahead” is the ‘three-word motto’ for Cici to cope with setbacks, ”It is very important to adjust your mindset. You can’t stay in a bad mood, but first summarize what is good about the result and what can be improved, so that you can focus more on what needs to be improved.” In her opinion, what’s meant to be will always come, just figure out how to deal with it, “and then look forward”.
Although this kind of thinking has gradually developed a calm and steady mind, Cici was still a little nervous before her first piano recital at her alma mater. She needed this kind of musical experience to get used to the feeling of playing alone on the stage, and she also needed this kind of occasion to help her deal with all kinds of emergencies. She thought that the more experience she had, the more experience she had, and the more she could adapt to different playing environments. “ Her belief in “looking ahead” has helped her to take her first steps in every sense of the word.
Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major lit up the audience with full of vitality. As a perfect ending to the concert, this passionate and joyful melody was unitedly performed by Cici and her teacher Ms. Liu. With precise rhythm and bright melody intertwined, and the tacit understanding and collaboration between them was shown to the fullest.
In the long journey of life, a talented teacher is like a bright light in the darkness. Looking back on the busy university application season, Cici was grateful to her piano teacher Ms. Liu, “She was really very responsible. During the summer vacation when I was preparing my portfolio, I basically came to school every week to practice, and she would help me record over and over again, giving me valuable advice on many details.” That period of time was also when Toki made the most progress.
A mentor is not only a guiding hand, but also a role model. In her 5 years of teaching at WASCZ, Cici is not the first student to be taught selflessly by Ms. Liu, who has always poured her patience into every student with an open mind, professional piano playing ability, and support her students in every little detail. With her personality and professionalism, Ms. Liu inspires her students to strive for excellence.
After three years of graduation, this recital was actually not the first time that Cici returned to her alma mater as a graduate. When the WASCZ summer camp opened this year, she had already appeared as a volunteer for the English expansion camp. At the same time, she also hoped to pass on some musical skills to her younger siblings through her recital, and helping them to “ make a sample” in advance.
“In the future, I also want to be a piano teacher and teach what I have learned to my students, so that they will be very delighted to enjoy the process of learning the piano.” Speaking of her future career plans, Cici’s eyes sparkled. just as her teachers always gave her timely help when she was lost and stuck countless times during her studies at WASCZ, she is also giving this affection back to her alma mater in different capacities and forms.
With the last notes slowly fading into the night sky, Cici finished her wonderful performance at her alma mater. From her music, we explored her past, felt her present, and foresaw her future. Summer camp volunteer, piano soloist …… I believe that in the future, she will unlock more different roles in the stage of her life.
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