Chopin Salon @ Home: Ning An
Until we can see you again at our live events, we are pleased to present the Chopin Salons @ Home. We sincerely hope that all of our members and subscribers are keeping safe and healthy, and we invite you to enjoy these specially curated programs online, at home, and at your convenience.
For the past 10 editions of the National Chopin Piano Competition, an outstanding group of jurors has had the challenging, and ultimately rewarding, task of deciding the winners. Since the recent Chopin Salons @ Home have focused on the six winners from the 2020 Competition, we thought it would be interesting to invite the esteemed jury members to curate the next few episodes. This week we enjoyed catching up with Ning An, who in addition to serving on the 2020 jury, was the first prize winner of the 2000 National Chopin Piano Competition.
“The experience of being a juror in the Chopin Competition was both exciting and nostalgic. It was almost exactly 20 years ago when I competed in this very competition and all the memories just flooded back as if it was just yesterday. Listening to these young pianists I was very impressed at the level of maturity in many of them and the poise they showed on stage. Even though at some point certain pieces create a little ear fatigue it is resounding how Chopin’s music can be so resilient and showcase a myriad of expressions. Perhaps Chopin is the only composer we can hold a singular repertoire in a competition.”
A 20 Year Perspective
This exquisite performance by Ning An is from a few years back and demonstrates how the 3rd movement from Chopin’s B minor Sonata can be considered a stand alone gem. The quality of the recording shows the artist’s sensitivity and range. It is easy to see why in 2000, the jurors saw something special in Mr. An. And not only in Miami - in 2002 Ning An was a laureate of the Paloma O’Shea Santander Competition (Spain).
“Winning the 2000 Competition really gave me a certain amount of confidence and a wonderful performance boost. The twenty or so concerts immediately following the competition showed me the kind of traveling and back to back performance experience that every young pianist needs. I think the difference between now and twenty years ago is actually that the competitors didn’t know each other or the jury as well as now. With the internet and the plethora of festivals and masterclasses, we really already get a sense of the competitors through Youtube or previous competitions. The competition is as well organized as ever, and the technological advances are quite incredible with online commentary and streaming at such a high quality.”
The Chopin Foundation’s mission is to support young American pianists and we believe one of the best way’s to do so is through live performance opportunities - which is why the current situation resulting from the COVID-19 is such a challenge. It forced us to put Avery Gagliano’s 2020 Winners Tour on hold for now, but we are looking ahead to a time when live concerts are again possible!
“I relish the fact that most of the [2020 National Chopin Piano Competition] competitors really had a healthy attitude toward the competition. Music is not naturally competitive and I as a juror am simply looking for an artist that piques my interest and that I would like to hear more from. Most of us are not sitting there counting the mistakes but looking for music that we can simply enjoy. I hope that will help future pianist realize that we are actually cheering them on!”
These days, Ning An is sharing his musical insights with and cheering on the next generation of young pianists. He is a professor of music at the California State University, Fullerton - School of Music.
“It really has come full circle as I work with my own students some of whom have won the Chopin Foundation Scholarships. It is very satisfying when I can relay the knowledge I have gained over the years and see it blossom in a young pianist. At the same time, I am simply planting a seed that hopefully each young artist will cherish and grow into their own.”
We asked Ning to share a video of a performance that was especially meaningful to him these days and he came up with this wonderful classic of Maria Callas and Bellini’s “Casta Diva” aria from Norma:
Finding the right voice
“Chopin always spoke about loving and tearing up listening to Bellini's operas. One can clearly take not only from the long cantabile lines but also the recitativo moments and relate to many moments in Chopin's nocturnes or long melodic lines that appear everywhere in his works. Callas singing "Casta Diva" is a wonderful example of color, shading, drama, character, etc. All things that a pianist must also be able to achieve despite playing a ‘percussion’ instrument.”
We know Ning An’s students are in good hands and we look forward to hearing great things from them. We also hope that Ning will return to Miami in the not-too-distant future. His many Florida fans would love to hear him again. Until then, let’s listen to one more recorded performance from Ning An:
We asked Mr. An for a fun fact to share with the Chopin Salons @ Home audience and learned that in addition to his musical talents, Ning was also a phenomenon on the basketball court. He even appeared on Chinese television shooting hoops! Music and sports do require a focused discipline and the motivation to “improve your game” is a life-long pursuit. We end this episode then with a link to a motivational video from the late sports legend, Kobe Bryant!
“Someone of you might not know, but I have always loved basketball and I used to play quite a bit. So this video that I have watched on Kobe Bryant and his determination to be the best and his work ethic always inspires me to work harder. And working harder even if you think you have given it all, you can still give more!”
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Chopin Foundation programs are made possible with the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners; and the City of Coral Gables. Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture; Funding Arts Broward; the Miami Salon Group; and scores of generous donors.