NEW
YORK, Aug. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The 40th
Most Outstanding Asian Artist Lifetime Achievement Award Ceremony
was held on Saturday, August 12th, in
New York, presented by the Chinese
American Arts Council (CAAC). Chinese pianist Mr. Liu Shih Kun was honored with this prestigious
recognition. Established in 1981, this award is one the most
significant honors in the United
States dedicated to recognizing excellence in the Asian arts
community. Past awardees include pianist Fou Ts'ong, Chinese opera
performers Hung Sin Nui, Zhang
Junqiu, Gu Zhengqiu, playwright David Henry
Hwang, and cellist Yo-Yo
Ma.
Liu Shih Kun is an esteemed
artistic master and a witness of modern and contemporary Chinese
history. Born in 1939 into a family of wealthy merchants and music
enthusiasts in Tianjin, he started
playing the piano at the age of 3, debuted at 5, and won the China
Children's Piano Competition at 10. In 1956, he took home third
place and a special award at the Liszt International Piano
Competition, receiving a strand of Liszt's hair as an accolade. In
1958, he achieved second place in the inaugural International
Tchaikovsky Competition, in which American pianist Van Cliburn won the first place, stirring
international attention. He is one of the few highly decorated
veteran pianists still active on the international stage.
Liu Shih Kun is a pioneer in
U.S.-China cultural exchange. In
1973, during the historic first visit of the Philadelphia Orchestra
to China, he soloed Franz Liszt's
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6 at the Beijing Cultural Palace of
Nationalities where he received a standing ovation from the entire
orchestra. The visit, authorized by President Nixon and
Henry Kissinger, kickstarted modern
U.S.-China relations. In 1978, as
Vice-Chairman and chief performer of the Chinese Art Delegation, he
became one of the earliest Chinese artists to tour in the United States and was received by
President Carter at the White House Rose Garden. In 1979, he
collaborated with the Boston Symphony Orchestra to perform Liszt's
Piano Concerto No. 1 in Beijing
and returned to the U.S. for two additional concerts at the
invitation of Seiji Ozawa, the
orchestra's music director. His recording of Liszt's Piano Concerto
No. 1 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra became one of the
best-selling Gold Records at the time. He maintained a lifelong
friendship with Van Cliburn and
served as a juror for the Van Cliburn International Piano
Competition in 2013. He was also the last guest Van Cliburn received before his passing.
Liu is an outstanding composer, with notable works including the
Youth Concerto for piano and orchestra and the piano concerto
Battling Against Typhoon which are prominent in China's modern musical repertoire. He is also
a distinguished arts educator, having established over 100 Liu Shih
Kun Piano Schools and Kindergartens in more than 30 cities across
China in the past 30 years. His
efforts have enriched over 500,000 students, with nearly 100,000
currently enrolled. These endeavors have led to the emergence of
numerous prize-winners in various piano competitions, contributing
significantly to China's ascent as
a global piano superpower.
In his acceptance speech, Liu stated, "I have received numerous
awards in the past, but this award holds a profound meaning for me
and has made me feel particularly honored. Today, being here, I
feel as if I have become much younger. In a world filled with many
conflicts, music has the ability to bring beauty and warmth to the
world. Today's award inspires me to work even harder to fulfill the
role of music in this regard." Liu Shih
Kun attended the ceremony with his wife Sun Wing and their daughter Bei Bei Lau.
Huang Ping, the Consul General of
the Chinese Consulate in New York,
and Alan Chow, the Founder and
Director of the Chinese American Arts Council, jointly presented
the award to Liu Shih Kun.
Ambassador Huang Ping highlighted
how Liu Shih Kun's artistic
achievements and journey have influenced countless Chinese children
and how in today's global village, mutual understanding and
appreciation are crucial, and Liu Shih
Kun's work serves as a bridge of friendship between
different cultures.
Representatives of the State of New
York and New York City
Mayor's office were present at the ceremony, bringing with them
citations and delivering a congratulatory speech on behalf of the
Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor
Eric Adams. Governor Hochul
congratulated Liu Shih Kun,
acknowledging his outstanding accomplishments as a remarkable
pianist and musician and the immense pride he has brought to Asian
communities throughout his life. This marks the first time a
foreign Asian artist has received such an honor this year. Mayor
Eric Adams described Liu Shih Kun as "a globally acclaimed piano
prodigy and performer who has made a tremendous contribution to the
cultural sector" and celebrated "the incredible and inspiring
imprint he has made on budding musicians around the world and
across generations."
Former Prime Minister of Australia and current Ambassador of
Australia to the United States Dr. Kevin Rudd, former Japanese Prime Minister
Yukio Hatoyama and his wife, Vice-Chairman of the Chinese
People's Political Consultative Conference and the 1st
and 2nd Chief Executive of the Macau Special
Administrative Region Edmund
Ho, Chinese Ambassador to the
United States Xie
Feng, Permanent Representative to the United Nations
Zhang Jun, the 101-year-old
first Chinese Nobel laureate Chen-Ning
Yang, and writer Feng Jicai all extended their
congratulations to Liu Shih Kun.
Chen-Ning Yang described
Liu Shih Kun as "one of the greatest
pianists of this century," while Feng Jicai stated that
Liu Shih Kun's award was "a
momentous event in the world of arts and a positive development in
Sino-American exchange." Jacques
Marquis, CEO and President of Van Cliburn Foundation
thanked Maestro Liu for being such an inspiration for Chinese
pianists, but also for pianists all over the world.
Robert Blocker, Dean of the
Yale School of Music, conveyed warm
congratulations, affirming that "Shih
Kun is one of the world's great artists, an extraordinary
pianist, an incomparable improvisor at the keyboard, a composer,
and most of all, a wonderful human being. "
Wu Han, Artistic Director of
Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, delivered an impromptu
speech, "I am here representing all of the young musicians,
especially pianists, to thank you for your incredible
contributions. You have served as a shining example for all the
young musicians like me." Qian Jing,
representing Ambassador of Australia to the United States Dr.
Kevin Rudd, conveyed a message that
Liu Shih Kun's story and
contribution bring love and strength to the world.
Eminent figure in the American music scene, 95-year-old
Gary Graffman, attended the event.
Liu Shih Kun and Gary Graffman met in 1978 when Liu visited the
U.S. As old friends, they conversed in Russia during a touching moment.
At the ceremony, Chen Yimiao, a third-generation descendant of
the legendary Chen erhu sect, performed an improvisational
rendition of Wild Flying Horses.
The 84-year-old Liu Shih Kun
improvised performances of the Chinese song Ode to the
Motherland and the American song America the Beautiful.
The latter was a piece played during President Nixon's visit to
China. His performance garnered
enthusiastic applause from the audience.
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SOURCE Chinese American Arts Council
