LOSS OF A KEY FIGURE

Zhu Yafen, renowned pianist and music educator, passed away in Beijing on Sunday. She was 94 years old.

Born in Shanghai, Zhu learned to play the piano as a child along with her two sisters as her father, a professor at St. John's University, a Christian university in Shanghai founded in 1879 by American missionaries, was a music lover. Though she played the piano throughout her childhood, she followed her father's advice to study English in college.

"She will be remembered and missed for her great contribution and dedication to music education in China," said Shenyang Conservatory of Music, in an obituary released on Monday.

Zhu taught at the music school in Shenyang, Liaoning province, and retired in 1989.

The school also said that a memorial event for Zhu will be held in Beijing on Thursday.

Zhu always kept her interest in music and practiced the piano. As a college student, Zhu worked part-time jobs, hoping to earn enough money to restart her piano lessons. She fulfilled her dream and entered the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, where she learned to play the piano under the tutelage of pianist Li Cuizhen, graduating in 1954.

Following her graduation, from 1954 to 1956, Zhu toured over 10 countries, including France, Belgium, Italy and the United Kingdom. In 1956, she joined the Singing and Dancing Troupe of Liaoning province as a soloist, where she also performed with symphony orchestras and chamber music ensembles.

In 1978, Zhu worked at Shenyang Conservatory of Music as a piano teacher and, from 1981 to 1986, she was the dean of the school's piano department.

After retiring from the school, in 1991,1992 and 1998, upon invitation, Zhu toured several American universities, including the Eastman School of Music and The Hartt School at the University of Hartford, giving performances and introducing music pieces by contemporary Chinese composers. Zhu also dedicated herself to translating piano textbooks, such as The Pianist's Guide to Pedaling by Joseph Banowetz.

As a successful music educator, Zhu trained many Chinese pianists.

In an early interview that Zhu did with pianist Bao Huiqiao, Zhu said, "One should not focus on instant results, but take a long-term view.

"What I need to do is to provide my students with 'soil' and 'nutrition', just like gardeners planting flowers. The 'soil' and 'nutrition' will help my students grow for the rest of their lives," she said.

In the interview, Bao recalled that, when she was a student, she heard about Zhu and her two sisters, who were great pianists. During the 1980s, Bao became good friends with Zhu, as they were often invited to be judges of piano competitions held around the country.

"She was much older than me, but she looked very young. She impressed me with her modesty and work ethic," said Bao.

"It is very sad that my beloved teacher Zhu Yafen died about an hour ago. It's hard for me to believe it and I don't know how to express my grief," internationally celebrated pianist Lang Lang said in a post on microblogging platform, Sina Weibo, on Sunday. He studied with Zhu for six years.

"She was my teacher as long as I can remember. She was not only my piano teacher but also my life mentor," wrote Lang, describing Zhu as "the greatest, the most loving, caring and warmest teacher" who understood him the most. "I will keep on talking to you with my music. You will always be my spiritual guide," he wrote.

Lang can still remember the first time that he went to Zhu's home in Shenyang to learn to play the piano with her.

"I was three-and-a-half. I brought my toy gun with me. She told me to put the toy gun aside before playing the piano. That's how we started our first lesson," said Lang in an interview with China Daily on Monday. "Besides learning the piano, she also let me feed her cat and watch animated movies. I was relaxed whenever I took a piano lesson with her."

In early interviews, Zhu recalled that Lang showed his distinctive musical talent and passion for the piano as a child. "A solid foundation is particularly important for a talented child like Lang Lang. I encouraged him to practice hard and be diligent," Zhu said.

Born in Shenyang, Liaoning province, Lang began learning to play the piano at the age of 3 and by the age of 13, he had won the first prize at the International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians. In 1997, Lang moved to the United States to study at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. He made a name for himself with a performance at age 17, when he played Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No 1 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Lang told China Daily that when he went through difficult times, such as failure at competitions, Zhu always told him to slow down and concentrate on practicing.

"She was always able to calm me down and lift my spirits," he said during the interview.

Lang wrote on Sina Weibo: "If I had to choose only one teacher, it would be Zhu."

He said during the interview: "I never stopped sharing my life with her. She was always there for me. She even helped me fill out the application forms when I applied to the Curtis Institute of Music.

"She was more like a family member to me. Thanks to her, I have become who I am today."

Lang, who is touring Japan, is scheduled to pay homage to Zhu and express his grief online at the memorial event in Beijing on Thursday.

The Piano Institute of the Chinese Musicians Association also mourns the loss of Zhu.

"Our hearts are broken to learn of her death. She not only trained established professionals like Lang Lang, who has achieved success internationally, but also spent many years organizing music competitions," said the institute in a release on Sunday.

Many music schools also sent their condolences and paid tribute to Zhu, including the Central Conservatory of Music, Shanghai Conservatory of Music and Xinghai Conservatory of Music.