Chinese pianist to build musical bridge to Japan

Chinese classical pianist Li Yundi said he wants to bring more Chinese classical music pieces to Japanese audiences and be China's "musical ambassador" to Japan, china.com.cn reported on Friday.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of China-Japan diplomatic relations. "Feel China" is slated for June 25 to July 13 in Japan. The series of events include a traditional Chinese dress show, China's contemporary art show, photo gallery reflecting China-Japan relations and a music recital by Li Yundi.

Li said he performed with Japanese conductor Seiji Ozawa and Japan is a land of hopes for him. "I will play Chopin's Nocturne and Sonata at the recital. All music pieces are well-picked and enjoyed by Japanese audiences."

"I turned 30 this year. There is a saying in China: At 30, a man should be able to think for himself. The concert means a lot to me, and I would like to dedicate it to the Japanese audience to celebrate Japan-China ties," Li said.

Li was the ambassador of Sino-Japan Youth Exchange Year in 2008 and played for Chinese President Hu Jintao and then-Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda.

Chinese pianist Li Yundi