A conductor of cultural nuance shows his skills

Young, emerging maestro Li Haoran kicked off the New Year program of the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing, Cheng Yuezhu reports.

Participating in the Rachmaninoff International Competition for pianists, composers and conductors in 2022 was an emotionally charged experience for conductor Li Haoran.

As it was the first edition of the competition, Li says that he found the English translation of the regulations confusing. It wasn't until the very end that he learned the pieces for the final round were predetermined rather than based on individual choices.

With only two days to cram for the final round, he felt defeated and wanted to give up the competition entirely.

"One of my good Russian friends told me a story about Paganini, who lost three strings during one performance and kept going on the one remaining string. Being a musician means facing up to all sorts of challenges, and this encouragement made me decide to carry on," Li says.

Eventually, Li won the third prize and a bronze medal in the conducting section, along with a series of invitations for him to work with Russia's preeminent singers, pianists and orchestras.

"I feel that I'm quite fortunate, to have made so many new friends and to have the opportunity of working with so many orchestras," Li says.

"Competitions for me are not about the prizes. What I care about the most is for people to see me and recognize my conducting skills."