On the afternoon of December 18, the press conference of "AIA Night - Kong Xiangdong 2024 New Year's Party" was held in the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra Philharmonic Hall. Mr. Kong Xiangdong, a famous pianist in China, Mr. Gao Shanfeng, head of the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra and deputy secretary of the General Party Branch, Mr. Jiang Limin, chief customer officer of AIA Life, and dozens of first-class reporters across the country attended the press conference. The press conference was presided over by the famous program host Zhang Minquan.
On the evening of January 26, 2024 (Friday), "Friendly Nights - Kong Xiangdong 2024 New Year's Meeting" will be staged at the Jaguar Shanghai Symphony Orchestra's ** Hall, which is a feast carefully planned by pianist Mr. Kong Xiangdong for music fans across the country after the shocking return to the classical music scene in October this year. The biggest highlight of this "New Year's Party" is that Kong Xiangdong will perform "Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1" and "Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 2", two popular and passionate and romantic Russian piano classics, which will also become a scene that has not been seen in the scene of Chinese classical ** for decades.
Mr. Gao Shanfeng, Director of the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, said: "On October 13 this year, Mr. Kong Xiangdong, together with Mr. Zhang Liang, Deputy Director and Permanent Conductor of the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, and the orchestra artists jointly presented Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3, which is known as the "best technique", and was a great success. After a lapse of March, the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra is honored to cooperate with Mr. Kong Xiangdong again, and present two great works of Tchaikovsky's "Piano Concerto No. 1" and Rachmaninoff's "Piano Concerto No. 2", bringing you a new feast. ”
"Chai Yi" and "La Er" were played in the same field, Kong Xiangdong's historical relationship
Regarding the two Russian classics that will be staged at the same time, Kong Xiangdong spoke eloquently at the press conference: "These two piano works are undoubtedly the most popular among all piano philharmonies in the world, and they are also the most desirable works for all pianists. The collaboration with Mr. Zhang Liang and the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra on these two works is undoubtedly a great encouragement for me personally. ”
The indissoluble bond between Kong Xiangdong and "Chai Yi" began in 1984 when Mr. Fan Dalei taught Kong Xiangdong "Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1", and then Kong Xiangdong won the first prize in the National Piano Competition sponsored by the Ministry of Culture in early 1985. In November 1985, under the baton of Mr. Shi Shucheng, who had just returned from studying in Germany, Kong Xiangdong and the then ** Orchestra (now the China National Symphony Orchestra) performed this piano concerto perfectly again at the Haidian Theater in Beijing, which was also the first time that Mr. Kong Xiangdong performed the piano concerto with the symphony orchestra.
When it comes to the interpretation of "La Er", Kong Xiangdong's eyes are full of memories. "The first time I heard Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 was when Mr. Fan Dalei took me to the house of his friend Mr. Wang Peiliang, and I remember that one afternoon in September '82, on the second floor of a house in an alley on Anfu Road, the early autumn afterglow outside the window shone into the house, and after the first few bars of the Lachmaninov Concerto were played on the vinyl record player, my tears could not help but flow out with the melody......”
Born to beauty, convey the value of high-quality aesthetic education
The 2024 New Year** Party of Kong Xiangdong is supported by the exclusive title sponsorship of AIA. This is also a key project in the opening stage of AIA's "Born to Beauty" brand aesthetic education platform. Through the interpretation of famous artists such as Kong Xiangdong, AIA will open a window for the public of different ages and different stages of art Xi to discover, understand and pursue beauty.
According to the organizers, in addition to the New Year's party, Mr. Kong Xiangdong will also be one of the first batch of instructors of AIA's aesthetic education master class "Famous Friends" in the first half of next year, and will visit many places to talk to you about the topic of beauty and aesthetic education, and use high-quality art activities to achieve good feedback and commitment to customers and society "healthy, long-term and good life".
Mr. Jiang Limin, Chief Customer Officer of AIA Life, said: "Mr. Kong Xiangdong's New Year's Party will not only be an audio-visual feast, but also an art lesson to cultivate temperament. We hope that through this cooperation, we can accompany everyone to "live for beauty". AIA has always been committed to helping more Chinese families achieve a "healthy, long-term and good life". We believe that "a healthy, long-term and good life" is not only physical health and wealth, but also spiritual abundance and spiritual nourishment. The so-called "good life" is inseparable from the company of beauty.
The whole event will be broadcast live on online platforms such as "Today's **" station B, AIA's official ** platform and Kong Xiangdong's official account.
Kong Xiangdong said, "Life is short, the notes are long, and I hope to welcome 2024 with all my friends in a beautiful music." I believe that this specially planned double concerto "New Year's Party" will once again bring passion and romance to Shanghai music fans at the beginning of the new year.