Young composer gets Beijing concert

A concert of Chen Zeya's music was staged by the Asia Philharmonic Orchestra in Beijing on Dec 22.

The student composer's teacher, Bao Yu, was guest commentator, and introduced the selections to the audience.

Chen won first prize for composition in the youth group at the 9th Ivy International Grand Prize of Music for his First Piano Sonata. Currently, he is a freshman in the composition department of the Zhejiang Conservatory of Music.

Chen's personal favorite, C Minor Piano Trio, a piece he wrote in June that he says is a reflection of his life, was also part of the performance. Written in the form of a sonata, the main theme was composed before college entrance examinations, and is imbued with a sense of trepidation but gradually brightens, with the music taking on an intense, marching flavor.

First String Quartet was written in April 2023 when Chen returned to his hometown of Xi'an in Shaanxi province. "The pace of life had slowed down a bit, allowing my imagination to run wild. It is filled with free-spirited creativity and also incorporates elements of northern Shaanxi folk music," he said.

The concert included five art songs, including Loneliness, one of Chen's earliest compositions, and Dreaming of the South of the Yangtze River.