Asian cellists dominate Queen Elisabeth final
NewsThe finalists have just been announced for the Reine Elisabeth cello competition in Brussels.
These are the contenders:
– Yibai Chen
– Bryan Cheng
– Hayoung Choi
– Jeremias Fliedl
– Stéphanie Huang (pictured)
– Woochan Jeong
– Marcel Johannes Kits
– Taeguk Mun
– Samuel Niederhauser
– Petar Pejčić
– Oleksiy Shadrin
– Sul Yoon
Stephanie Huang is Belgian. Three years ago her sister Sylvia made the final of the Queen Elisabeth violin competition. Bryan Cheng is Canadian.
So not such Asian dominance really: four Korean finalists and one Chinese (Yibai Chen), who’s definitely a favorite for the first prize after a fabulous Haydn 1 in the semifinal yesterday.
Reality check: Stephanie Huang is Asian. Bryan Cheng is Asian. Despite the wishful thinking of the left, lines in the sand don’t change one’s DNA.
DNA did not give them a spot in the finals or impact their playing at all- unlike decades of training and support in the country they were born in and lived their entire lives in. What the hell does race have to do with it?
Reality check: do you really want to say, that regarding their DNA people from Turkey have more in commonwith people from Japan than with people from Europe?
In her case, you can’t call her Asian, with an asian father (i can’t recall the exact nationality) and a belgian mother, and being born in Belgium, studied in Brussels – Paris – Waterloo.
This doesn’t have anything to do with politics, dummy. 😉
Your Blut und Boden comment speaks for itself. Today’s superdiverse societies don’t work that way.
From the Queen Elisabeth website, it looks like 6 of them represent European countries and only 5 represent Asian countries. News reporters writing about the Olympics don’t feel the need to bring in race when nationality is right next to their names. Why do it here?
This kind of ‘news’ has a distinctly ethnic/’race’ bias – beloved of racists everywhere whatever outraged protests to the contrary that suggestion will doubtless provoke.
I think it’s a good catalyst for various conversations, including how ironic it is how Asians tend to do well at competitions but are soon forgotten. This is because technical playing only gets a player so far.
Good point Heinrich
What is “technical playing” ? Do you really think one can reach these levels of excellence/performance without any deep/rich artistic sensibility ? Have you ever played a musical instrument ? If only as an amateur ? You would know that one doesn’t reach these levels just with “technical playing”. It’s a racist cr.p often brought up when talking about Asian or ethnic Asian musicians. “technical playing” pfff !!
Agreed. Although I think you are missing the point implied in the article: even if you are born and bred in a non-Asian country, people are still pointing at you as Asians.
And FANTASTIC Petar Pejčić from Serbia!!!!
I am so proud!
výborne! Slovanská hrdosť словенски понос
Why are you proud? Are you related to him? Parent? Teacher?
I suppose this is how hard work vs decolonisation equals out.
Whatever happened to QE competitor Edvard Pogossian?- who recently was outright winner of the Tunbridge Wells International Artists. A great musician & I can’t believe anyone on this list would be a superior musician or player.
Didn’t even survive the first round. If you want to second-guess the jury, all the performances of first and second round are here: https://koninginelisabethwedstrijd.be/nl/wedstrijden-details-multimedia/activiteiten/cello-2022/