Young pianist

Ellwood R. Kerkeslager, Mayor of the Borough of Madison, USA, proclaimed December 10, 2007 as Yuqing Meng Day in recognition of the young Chinese pianist's achievements and his innovations in introducing classical music to younger generations.

A junior at Madison High School, in 2007 the 18-year-old Meng (pictured) won first place awards in piano competitions across the United States, including: the Oberlin International Piano Competition, the Blount-Slawson Young Artist Competition, Montgomery, Alabama, Kingsville International Scionti Piano Competitions and the Kingsville, Texas and Juilliard Pre-College Senior Piano Competition in New York, NY.

Meng began playing piano at age four in Shanghai, entered the Juilliard School Pre-College Division in New York at seven as one of the youngest candidates ever accepted there, and considers it his duty to introduce younger generations to classical music.

Friday evening, Meng will give a concert at the Forbidden City Concert hall, playing Tchaikovsky's concertos and ballet music.

Chen Jie

7:30pm

Inside Zhongshan Park

6559-8306 6559-8285

(China Daily 04/25/2008 page22)