Professor Xu Bao’s<\/a> students. This was a special trip because I was also the CD producer for Kuang Junhong’s first CD (at the age of 14). He really is something, and I hope you will enjoy the CD when it is released by Naxos.
\nThere is \u00a0a youthful optimism about his playing, but there is also the odd touch of masterful genius which comes through. Needless to say, his technique is flawless.
\nAs he is very dedicated, I am sure he will mature into a wonderful musician.
\nHis teacher says that to play an instrument well, you have to be first and foremost a good human being, with heart. (The other thing he says is that his students should have experience with other teachers and to this end he has invited many teachers from the West at his own expense, so that his students can absorb as many influences as they can).
\nIt was very cold \u00a0in the Main Concert Hall of Sichuan Conservatory, which was having a lift shaft installed during the day (and there are also 900 practice rooms all around\u00a0making a \u00a0Babelicious cacophony), so we had to record until late at night. It amazed me how many people were out on the street still eating at 4.00 am!
\nJunhong was the ideal person to record – he was always on the ball musically, and could intelligently work out edit points where necessary. There were a few pieces which were recorded as whole takes, and he can instantly absorb a musical or technical nuance.
\nDuring the day, we had lessons on the pieces, including his (by now famous) Chaconne by Bach. There was also Tedesco, Granados, Albeniz, Legnani and Mertz.<\/p>\nJunhong’s Chaconne at Iserlohn International Festival<\/strong>
\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/-kAIFA9h-zNs\/UzXQkxt_QsI\/AAAAAAAAUsw\/Gnw3fnFcPFE\/w1789-h1342-no\/P1080387.JPG\")
<\/p>\n