Corin Lee Takes Top Honors at NTD Television’s Third Chinese International Violin Competition
New York, NY, November 10, 2010 --(PR.com)-- After a weekend of intense competition, Corin Lee, from The Juilliard School, took the gold award at New Tang Dynasty (NTD) Television’s Third Chinese International Violin Competition: a $5000 grand prize and a specially-crafted violin.
Mr. Lee hails from California, and is a fourth year undergraduate at The Juilliard School studying with Hyo Kang and Naoko Tanaka. He has performed with the Oakland Civic Orchestra, participated in the Yellow Barn Young Artists Program, California Summer Music, Great Mountains Music Festival and School, and the Music Academy of the West.
The silver award went to 22-year-old Zhang Jing, who is originally from Nanjing, China. Ms. Zhang started playing violin at the age of four, and has since acquired an impressive list of awards from national competitions in China and international competitions.
The bronze award went to Arianna Warsaw-Fan, who is currently completing her Masters at The Julliard School. Ms. Warsaw-Fan also started playing violin at a very young age -- just three years old -- at her own request.
Contestants started the competition with pieces by Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven, and wrapped up the contest with Paganini’s Caprices—among the most technically demanding works written for the violin. But it was Mr. Lee’s performance of a specially-commissioned piece, “Dedu,” which means “Be Saved” in Chinese, that made him the judge’s top pick.
Judge Chia-Chi Lin, said it was Mr. Lee’s unembellished style really made him stand out.
“In other competitions, they are looking for mostly virtuoso players. But I think what’s different with our competition is that we are looking for a special kind of character, and it’s beauty, and sincere, and honesty. And I think Corin Lee has that quality in him. He has that honesty—he plays the way he feels, and comfortably too."
Ms. Ching-ya Mahlen composed “Dedu” especially for NTD’s competition. She was on hand to watch the final round of the competition on Sunday, October 31 and said it was touching to hear the contestants play her piece.
“There’s a story behind ‘Dedu.’ It's about the Falun Gong practitioners who were persecuted for their beliefs in China... I composed this piece for NTD’s competition, in order to introduce this music, and let more people know the story.”
She said each contestant brought something different to “Dedu.”
“Because each performer has different backgrounds and experiences in life, through playing with their hearts, they gave the audience different messages. While I was listening, I felt like they were telling their own stories,” she said.
Winners List 2010 Chinese International Violin Competition
Gold Award: Corin Lee, USA
Silver Award: Zhang Jing, China
Bronze Award: Arianna Warsaw-Fan, USA
Outstanding Performance Award: Xuan Du, Portugal
About NTD Television
The world’s first independent, nonprofit Chinese language TV network, New Tang Dynasty Television (NTD) broadcasts via satellite, cable, and the Internet globally across four continents. In New York, NTD is available on Time Warner cable 24/7. NTD is the largest Chinese cultural event producer outside of China. Since 2007, NTD has presented the Global Competition Series, which includes culinary arts, Han-couture design, martial arts, music, classical Chinese dance, and painting competitions in an effort to preserve and celebrate the essence and beauty of authentic Chinese culture and promote cultural exchange around the world.
For More Information:
Lei Xi
New Tang Dynasty Television
646-784-6948
lei.xi@ntdtv.com
###
Mr. Lee hails from California, and is a fourth year undergraduate at The Juilliard School studying with Hyo Kang and Naoko Tanaka. He has performed with the Oakland Civic Orchestra, participated in the Yellow Barn Young Artists Program, California Summer Music, Great Mountains Music Festival and School, and the Music Academy of the West.
The silver award went to 22-year-old Zhang Jing, who is originally from Nanjing, China. Ms. Zhang started playing violin at the age of four, and has since acquired an impressive list of awards from national competitions in China and international competitions.
The bronze award went to Arianna Warsaw-Fan, who is currently completing her Masters at The Julliard School. Ms. Warsaw-Fan also started playing violin at a very young age -- just three years old -- at her own request.
Contestants started the competition with pieces by Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven, and wrapped up the contest with Paganini’s Caprices—among the most technically demanding works written for the violin. But it was Mr. Lee’s performance of a specially-commissioned piece, “Dedu,” which means “Be Saved” in Chinese, that made him the judge’s top pick.
Judge Chia-Chi Lin, said it was Mr. Lee’s unembellished style really made him stand out.
“In other competitions, they are looking for mostly virtuoso players. But I think what’s different with our competition is that we are looking for a special kind of character, and it’s beauty, and sincere, and honesty. And I think Corin Lee has that quality in him. He has that honesty—he plays the way he feels, and comfortably too."
Ms. Ching-ya Mahlen composed “Dedu” especially for NTD’s competition. She was on hand to watch the final round of the competition on Sunday, October 31 and said it was touching to hear the contestants play her piece.
“There’s a story behind ‘Dedu.’ It's about the Falun Gong practitioners who were persecuted for their beliefs in China... I composed this piece for NTD’s competition, in order to introduce this music, and let more people know the story.”
She said each contestant brought something different to “Dedu.”
“Because each performer has different backgrounds and experiences in life, through playing with their hearts, they gave the audience different messages. While I was listening, I felt like they were telling their own stories,” she said.
Winners List 2010 Chinese International Violin Competition
Gold Award: Corin Lee, USA
Silver Award: Zhang Jing, China
Bronze Award: Arianna Warsaw-Fan, USA
Outstanding Performance Award: Xuan Du, Portugal
About NTD Television
The world’s first independent, nonprofit Chinese language TV network, New Tang Dynasty Television (NTD) broadcasts via satellite, cable, and the Internet globally across four continents. In New York, NTD is available on Time Warner cable 24/7. NTD is the largest Chinese cultural event producer outside of China. Since 2007, NTD has presented the Global Competition Series, which includes culinary arts, Han-couture design, martial arts, music, classical Chinese dance, and painting competitions in an effort to preserve and celebrate the essence and beauty of authentic Chinese culture and promote cultural exchange around the world.
For More Information:
Lei Xi
New Tang Dynasty Television
646-784-6948
lei.xi@ntdtv.com
###
Contact
New Tang Dynasty Television
Lei Xi
(646) 784-6948
http://ntdtv.com/
Shirley.dai@ntdtv.com for English
Wei.Huang@ntdtv.com for Chinese
Lei Xi
(646) 784-6948
http://ntdtv.com/
Shirley.dai@ntdtv.com for English
Wei.Huang@ntdtv.com for Chinese
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