Chinese pianist surprises world with Chopin gold

　　Against all odds Li Yundi, a littleknown piano prod igy who comes from humble beginnings, has surprised the musical world. The 18-year-old Chinese student recently made his mark as the first contestant since 1985 to win the gold medal at the International Frederic Chopin Com petition in Warsaw.

　　For years, a prize from the Chopin competition has been a ticket to fame for budding pianists. Past winner s have included Maurizio Pollini of Italy and Martha Ar gerich of Argentina.

　　The gold medal is rare. The competition takes place only twice a decade, and judges deemed none of the pian ists worthy of the award in 1990 or 1995.

　　Established in 1927, the Chopin competition sets th e world standard for interpreting the 19th-century comp oser's music, known for its emotional intricacies and t echnical challenges.

　　Li won by playing Chopin's E minor piano concerto.

　　Such an accomplishment seems unlikely for someone f rom a Chinese industrial city where any hints of Wester n culture are scarce, especially considering Li's situa tion.

　　Born in the remote southwestern province of Sichuan to nonmusical parents, Li was 4 when he saw an accordio n (手风琴) in a shop window in his hometown of Chongqing a nd begged his mother to buy it .

　　His prized instrument in hand, Li started lessons a t the Sichuan Children's Palace, where Li met his teach er and mentor, professor Dan Zhaoyi.

　　Five years into Li's piano training, Dan was transf erred to the Shenzhen Arts School. Li and his family fo llowed.

　　Now Li lives in Shenzhen and studies in a small, tw o-story building, covered by a film of dust from a cons truction site next door. It looks like any other second ary high school in China, until you get close enough to see the small bulletin board covered with newspaper art icles about Li's triumph in Warsaw.

　　Li said he needs to broaden his scope beyond his pr esent strength in 19th-century romanticism. He wants to continue his education abroad, but he hasn't decided wh ere.

　　"I'd like to have a balanced development. I'd like to develop the classical and 20th-century repertoire—li ke Prokofiev and Ravel, " he said. "Chopin is only a sm all part of my study, after all."