SAN DIEGO — Virtuoso-caliber piano playing is rarely heard at a music store. But it was last Monday when world-renowned pianist Rueibin Chen from Taiwan, considered to be one of the great piano geniuses of our time, performed at Greene Music in San Diego.
Chen is touring Southern California, hosting concerts and master classes in Los Angeles and San Diego. Last Monday he offered a free workshop for local piano teachers, in which he played 3 pieces by Schubert and Chopin.
Chen is believed to be one of the best interpreters of Chopin. Among the numerous awards he has received, Chen has been honored with the gold medal at the Chopin International Piano Competition.
"His interpretation of Chopin is amazing. Not many pianists can play like that," said one participating piano teacher. "Only Rueibin, educated in the European cultural environment under renowned maestros, can do that."
Chen was trained in a strictly European manner in Austria. He was a student of Maestro Lazar Merman, and a fifth generation disciple of Beethoven. For a European musician, culture and nationality play a significant role. Musicians from different cultures interpret music in different styles.
Today Chen teaches master classes in both Europe and the U.S., and he talked about the differences between them.
"In Europe, we have to adapt our playing of certain pieces to its corresponding culture. This is very strict. The students have to pay attention to such details and nuances in the music. On the contrary, the U.S. is a melting pot of all kinds of cultures. The students always ignore such details and nuances in the music, and tend to interpret the music in their own ways. Performance and personality matter more here."
Like Chopin, Chen spends most of his life pursuing perfection in the world of music. "A musician must be very persistent in his pursuit in the arts, in the pursuit for his dream," he said.
When asked what the most important quality for a great musician is, Chen simply replied, "A pure heart!"
Regret having missed the chance to meet this young, talented pianist? Don't worry. Mr. Chen will host two master classes in San Diego, cosponsored by New Tang Dynasty Television. The first one will be held on Sunday, April 9, and the second one on Saturday, April 15. For more information or to R.S.V.P., please email info@rueibinchen.net or call 1-888-388-2518.
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