Su Zhen was born in 1972. Her hometown of Shijiazhuang City is the cultural and artistic center of Hebei. Su Zhen lived in the courtyard of the Hebei Provincial Song and Dance Theater when she was a child, and was exposed to many musical things. In fact, her family is not a musical family. Both her parents are government officials, and no one else in the family has studied music. However, she accidentally embarked on the road of music. There is an interesting experience here. When Su Zhen was a child, she had a little friend. The two played together all day long. Suddenly one day, the little friend didn't play with her often. Su Zhen, who was curious, went to observe and found that her little friend got into the house as soon as she came to school. The violin was playing creakingly in the house, and the stubborn Su Zhen broke into her house and sat nearby to watch. This happened every day, and Su Zhen became addicted to it. She thought the violin looked weird, but it was really fun, and the sound it made was so interesting. So after returning home, she pestered her mother to buy a violin for her, insisting on it. She learned the piano with her little friend, but her mother couldn't resist her, so she bought her a children's violin. From that day on, she, like her little friend, soaked up the world of creaking sound after school every day. .

Su Zhen’s violin teacher was Li Houyi (the father of the violin prodigy Li Chuanyun). She studied with this teacher for six years. Due to her high understanding and good conditions, she quickly reached the level of playing. quite high level. In 1986, 14-year-old Su Zhen was admitted to the High School Affiliated to the Central Conservatory of Music, and truly entered the halls of professional music.

Su Zhen was admitted to the Middle School Affiliated to the Central Conservatory of Music and ranked first in the violin major. However, after entering the school, she developed an incomprehensible relationship with the viola. The teacher who took the exam at the time saw that she was tall and strong (compared to (other students), she asked her if she wanted to switch to viola. Su Zhen discussed it with her mother, and then asked the teacher, is the viola also played with a sandwich? As long as it's done with a pinch, it's no problem. Just follow the teacher's instructions and make the changes. So, she picked up the instrument, which was slightly larger than a violin, and officially became a viola student at the High School Affiliated to the Conservatory of Music.

When Su Zhen first entered school, she studied with two teachers, Ju Jiang and Su Jiajun, and later studied with the famous viola player and educator Mr. Cen Yuanding. She studied in Teacher Cen's class for six years, spent all her time in the attached high school, and basically mastered the techniques and rules of viola playing. In 1991, she was recommended to the Orchestral Department of the Central Conservatory of Music with excellent graduation results and began her undergraduate studies. In college, she was honored to become a disciple of two famous teachers, Sui Keqiang and Wang Zhenshan. During her four years in college, Su Zhen was very hardworking and studious. Her grades skyrocketed and she became the top student in the school. In 1996, just after graduating from the Central Conservatory of Music, she was hired as deputy principal viola member of the China Symphony Orchestra, which had just been established that year. Su Zhen was also a master of chamber music when she was in school. The women's quartet she formed with three other girls was very famous at the time. They won the first place in the string quartet and the special award for Chinese works in the first China Chamber Music Competition.

I know Su Zhen because she and I *** studied under Teacher Cen Yuanding for a period of time. At that time, I often heard Teacher Cen talk about how he had a student named Su Zhen. Talent, how hard-working, how sensible and obedient. I also personally saw her Labatók Concerto in Teacher Cen’s class and admired her superb performance skills. Before she went to study abroad in 1996, while I was still working as a music editor on a radio station, I specially recorded a set of viola solo pieces for her. The works include: the first movement of Hindemith's "Swan Rotor" and Handel's "Viola Concerto in B minor". ", Liu Zhuang's "Romantic Songs", this set of songs was not only played on the radio as a radio program, but also became the recording material that Su Zhen took with her when she studied abroad. I still think that Su Zhen has become a world-famous viola expert, and my small actions back then should be regarded as a small contribution to her future success.

The "Female Champion" of the Royal Conservatory of Music

After graduating from the Central Conservatory of Music, Su Zhen joined the China Symphony Orchestra. This was a good ending. She could definitely serve as deputy viola principal Taking your identity as the starting point, step by step towards a higher peak in your career.

However, having been bold and independent since childhood, she was not satisfied with the achievements and status she had achieved. She set her sights abroad, and her strong desire to further her studies prompted her to make a decision that ultimately changed her destiny. At the end of 1996, Su Zhen said goodbye to her hometown and relatives, flew to the UK alone, and began a career of studying abroad with an uncertain future.

When Su Zhen first arrived in the UK, she had no education and no job. The anxious Su Zhen almost fell ill. She felt that she had to spend a lot of money to have hope. "How many times can you fight in life?" Before leaving, her family withdrew all their savings of nearly 100,000 yuan and gave it to her. She turned all the money into tuition fees. In order to enter the Royal Conservatory of Music, she took classes from a famous teacher at her own expense. After a few months, this money She spent all her money, but her professional skills improved by leaps and bounds. In September 1997, Su Zhen was ready to join the Royal Conservatory of Music. However, upon closer inspection, she realized that the freshman recruitment exam had already ended and school was about to start. What should I do? Will half a year of hard work be in vain? The stubborn Su Zhen refused to give up. With a glimmer of hope, she wrote a letter to the then dean of the Royal Academy of Music, sincerely expressing her strong desire to study and hoping that the dean would listen to her performance. Perhaps Su Zhen's stubbornness played a role, or perhaps the Eastern girl's sincerity moved God. The dean actually wrote her a reply, expressing his willingness to hold a separate examination for her. On the day of the exam, Su Zhen took Qin to an ordinary room in the Conservatory of Music. There were two people sitting behind a table, the dean and the department head. The dean looked at Su Zhen, said only two words, "Pull it," and then closed his eyes and waited. At this time, Su Zhen had already forgotten everything. She raised her bow and started playing Bartok's "Viola Concerto." After the song was played, the dean and the department chair whispered something, and then said to Su Zhen with a smile: "We have decided to admit you and give you a full scholarship." A miracle happened, and the unimaginable fruits of victory came to Su Zhen. A Chinese girl from the far East finally became an official student of the Royal Academy of Music.

After entering the Royal Conservatory of Music, Su Zhen began to study hard and selflessly. She devoted herself to the tutelage of the world-famous viola professor JOHN WHITE, and soon made rapid professional progress. Mr. JOHN WHITE taught her new playing concepts, which resulted in a qualitative change in her pronunciation. This famous teacher also tried his best to expose Su Zhen to works as extensively as possible, opening her eyes and improving her performance concepts, performance techniques and mastery. The literature has quickly caught up with the world. Due to Su Zhen's hard work and intelligence, she received the Performer's Diploma from the Academy the year she entered school. In addition, from 1997 to 1999, she successively received the WAL TES, MAUSICE LOBAN, THEODORE HOLLAND, and HILDA WYNNE awards from the Royal Academy of Music. , WIGMORE and other awards. In 1999, he won the rare Royal Academy of Music Dean's Award (Su Zhen was the first viola player to win this award since the academy was founded in 1822), and also received the Royal Academy of Music's Outstanding Student Degree. Certificate, postgraduate diploma in performance and teaching diploma, becoming the famous "female number one" in the academy.

Conquer the European music scene with strength

In 1999, Su Zhen graduated from the Royal Conservatory of Music with undisputed honors with the "Grand Slam" award she won. , she quickly integrated into the European professional music performance circle. In fact, she has already participated in a wealth of professional performance practice when she was a student at the Royal Academy of Music in the past few years. In 1997, he visited Japan and China as the principal viola of the Royal Academy of Music Orchestra; he also participated in the regular performance of the famous London Symphony Orchestra that year, and was invited to participate in the 26th International Viola Symposium as a soloist, and also held a solo solo In 1998, she participated in a symphony orchestra composed of world-famous performers as the principal viola player. In the same year, she participated as a soloist in the London International Viola Music Festival and the World Conference of Women Composers held in memory of Mrs. Lionel Tertis; in 1999 He held a solo recital as a soloist in the famous St. Martin's Cathedral.

After 2000, her professional music career developed even more rapidly. In this year, she participated in the world-famous Edinburgh Music Festival as a soloist and was hired as a viola soloist by the Danish DET Soloists Chamber Orchestra. More importantly, she However, she was spotted by the British BBC Philharmonic Orchestra that year and served as the deputy viola principal of the orchestra. In this position, Su Zhen worked until she returned to China in 2004.

Su Zhen’s talent has been known to many well-known people in the music industry through her performances. British composer Blythswood’s new viola work "Rhian Samuel" (three Pieces written for viola and piano) ), specially commissioned by Su Zhen for its world premiere in 1998, and composer Elegy's new work "Timothy Bowers" was also given its world premiere by Su Zhen in 1999.

Su Zhen’s career achievements in the European music scene were not achieved easily. They are the result of her personal hard work and bold adventurous spirit. During this interview, she told me that working in the UK is much more difficult than studying, because the UK is not a country of immigrants, and it is difficult for ordinary people to get a place there. For example, to enter the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, you can only get the position of deputy principal. Only by staying in the orchestra for a long time can she stay in the UK and live in the UK. For her, this is simply a journey, but she has achieved success by relying on her own strength and spirit. Speaking of this, Su Zhen said with emotion: "It sounds natural now, but it was really a miracle at the time."

I once asked Su Zhen, have you never encountered difficulties in a British orchestra? She opened her eyes wide and said to me, "Why is it not difficult? It was always difficult at the beginning. The BBC Philharmonic is a well-established orchestra, and the musicians here have generations of tradition in playing symphonies. When I first joined the orchestra I feel uncomfortable everywhere, especially when I change conductors. Because I am not familiar with the music, I often cannot see the beat clearly. I often ask the people next to me how many beats to beat. When I look at others, it seems that I have played each piece of music hundreds of times. I know the conductor well by heart. Every time at this time, I lament that my experience is too little. Needless to say, I feel nervous. But there are also times when I am proud. Whenever I play the viola solo, the situation changes. As soon as the song ends. , all the musicians would clap their hands and stamp their feet to praise me. I was so happy at that time. Later, after a lot of performance practice, I gained rich experience in symphony performance. and gained a lot, and also made many musician friends.”

Now Su Zhen is a well-known figure in the British music industry. She has had a long-term seat in the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Royal Academy of Music regards her as the pride of the school. This ARAM Award The award fully demonstrates the intangible value of her personal influence.

Returning to China with a full load of "True Scriptures"

Su Zhen returned to China in the past two years. At the end of 2003, Su Zhen, who was having a prosperous career abroad, returned to China to study at the Central Conservatory of Music. A viola recital was held. I was at that concert, and Su Zhen played Brahms's "Viola Sonata in F minor" and the second movement of BLYTHWOOD's "RHIAN SAMUEL" which were really great. I felt at that time that she not only had good technique but also had a good voice. , the music also appears to be more mature. The success of that concert was a true report given by Su Zhen to her alma mater after studying abroad for many years, and her alma mater expressed great satisfaction with her achievements after further studies. After the concert, Dean Wang Cizhao personally talked to Su Zhen, hoping that she could return to China to work and make special contributions to the development of her alma mater. The content of this conversation was exactly in line with Su Zhen’s wish, because she had studied abroad since her first year. Since the beginning of time, I have made up my mind to return to serve my country after completing my studies. After a coincidence, a young viola professor who is well-known in Europe was born in the Orchestral Department of the Central Conservatory of Music.

Su Zhen officially returned to China in 2004, and now she has become the backbone of the viola teaching and research section of the Central Conservatory of Music. She now leads a dozen undergraduate students, plus several quartet groups in chamber music classes, and is very busy at ordinary times.

She emphasizes practical results in her teaching, and strives to teach students the latest concepts in viola playing and open up their artistic horizons. Students who have studied in her class say, "Teacher Su's teaching is lively and natural. She has deep skills, new concepts, and strong demonstration ability. You can really learn real skills from her."

In addition to her daily teaching work, Su Zhen also holds viola master classes at the Central Conservatory of Music and several other sister institutions, teaching extensive knowledge about the viola. In 2004, she recorded a large number of viola classics for the CCTV Music Channel series, which played a vital role in promoting, promoting and popularizing the art of viola in our country. As a member of the Central Conservatory of Music's Teacher String Quartet, she is often active on the college's music stage. In 2004, she also participated in the first Beijing International Modern Music Festival hosted by the Central Conservatory of Music.

Su Zhen now also has an important title, that is, the general liaison officer of the Royal Academy of Music in China. She is currently very active in this work. Up to now, she has successfully brought together many conservatories. Undergraduate graduates are recommended to study abroad at the Royal Conservatory of Music, and several world-famous musicians have been invited to China for lectures and artistic exchanges. Su Zhen is very optimistic about this job. She feels that this career is of great significance to strengthening all-round music exchanges between China and the world. She herself believes that using her identity and status to contribute to this cause is the most worthwhile Something that pleased her.

Just as I was writing this article, Su Zhen went to England again for business, and she was so busy traveling between China and England. It is said that this summer she will hold a master class in Cincinnati, USA, and will also hold a recital at that time. Su Zhen, who is active in the world, has completely faded away from the little girl in my mind. Now she is a mature performer, professor and music activist. However, no matter how she changes, one thing will never change, that It is her simple, straightforward character and kind and amiable character.