Masterpieces of music compositions not only inspire people and touch their heartstrings but also lead them to experience the rich tapestry of various cultures.

This Friday (June 14) evening, conducted by Lin Daye, artistic director of the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra, the orchestra will perform folk music-inspired works by late Chinese composer Su Xia, along with two piano concertos in A minor by Edvard Grieg and Robert Schumann.

         Lin Daye                        Li Muyu

Liu Muyu, an award-winning student at the Cleveland Institute of Music, will perform as the soloist at the concert in Shenzhen Music Hall in Futian District.

Su, a native of Guangdong, based his folkloric piece “Yunnan Dances” on the folk music of Yunnan Province, renowned for its ethnic minority population celebrating their festivals with passionate songs and dances.

The three-movement work is simple and straightforward, evoking the joyous celebrations. The program also includes his piece “Tea Picking Tunes,” infused with elements of Hunan folk music, depicting the happy scenes of tea harvesting.

Grieg’s “Concerto in A Minor, Op. 16” stands as the only concertante work by the Norwegian master. In composing this concerto, Grieg brought into play several elements making it a true masterpiece of the piano repertoire, and one that would be a resounding success from the moment of its premiere in 1869.

At 25, the composer was the happy new father when he set about composing this score. He also drew inspiration from Norwegian folk music. The result is a passionate, playful work, full of contrast which vividly portrays different facets of love. With its key of A minor, this piece is reminiscent of another pillar of the piano repertoire: Schumann’s concerto.

Premiered in 1845 by Clara Schumann, a virtuoso pianist and wife of Robert Schumann, the latter’s concerto is based on a fantasy crafted by the composer years earlier. This work prioritizes lyricism and poetry over technical difficulty, presenting a sublime and intricately crafted dialog between the piano and orchestra.

Liu, who began piano studies at 4, received a comprehensive music education in Japan from a young age. She furthered her studies in the United States in 2016, later becoming a student of Antonio Pompa-Baldi at the Cleveland Institute of Music.