King of Classical Music

When Zhou Kang Sheng saw the handsome young man take the stage, hefroze. After his name was announced, he slapped his thigh. “Yes! That'shim!”

The French director had told him to pay special attention to thestudent named Qi Mu at this assessment. Now that he had appeared, Zhou KangSheng had to diligently take notes and more photos.

Zhou Kang Sheng had been in France for three years, and he didn'tknow much news from the mainland. This was his first time seeing the young mannamed "Qi Mu." Zhou Kang Sheng couldn't help but point 100% of his attention toQi Mu. He looked to the bright stage, not blinking.

"Qi Mu will be performing Paganini's 《Bell》. This is a difficultpiece. I don't know how well this Qi Mu can. . . play?"

After taking two photos with his SLR, Zhou Kang Sheng set it down.He intended to dutifully listen to the performance. Even if it wasn't good, hehad to listen with patience. Who told the headquarters to pay so much attentionto Qi Mu?

Once Qi Mu's bow touched the strings, Zhou Kang Sheng was frozenin his seat.

《Bell》 was one of Paganini'ssignature works. The violin devil had magical hands, and it was said his lefthand could bend into an unbelievable arc. It allowed him to press the stringsin unbridled ways.

《Bell》 began with a short andintense staccato, a signature trait of Paganini's. Zhou Kang Sheng had been inthe classical music industry for 6 years. He'd listened to three versions of 《Bell》 but. . . he had neverseen anyone with an accuracy of such unprecedented level!

Once the bow touched the strings, it would inevitably create asound. Amateurs often slipped and made it even louder. Even professionals couldonly minimize it.

The entire concert hall was shrouded in the bell-like melody.Light and warm, every time the bow glided across the strings, a bronze bellgently chimed. The youth's slender left hand kept sliding along the stringswith broad range but somehow made it look relaxed.

His right hand controlled the bow with such precision the tremorwas reduced to the minimum!

In the pale golden music hall, everyone held their breath andlistened to the magnificent and flawless 《Bell》. The violin was like a brook in the mountains, rushing overbroken stone and tree branches, creating an ethereal echo.

By the time the song progressed into the second half, the youth'swhite fingers had stretched from the forefront octave to the end of the blackfingerboard. The cluster of sound emerging from the strings was like streamsconverging into a small river, and from a small river. . . to a great flood.

The song eventually reached its final high tide, and the melodyonce again surged forth with momentum. If Langston's 《Dante Symphony》 wasa river running, then this student's 《Bell》 had a real soul, rolling with the will of the ocean.

The difference was never the song, but the person who played it.

Liszt and Paganini were both representative figures of the"dazzling technique" genre, but as students who play these two masterpiecesseparately, it was obvious. . . the black-haired Chinese youth in front of themwas better!

The performance ended.

Zhou Kang Sheng stared blankly at the young man under thespotlight. His lips moved, but he had yet to recover from the music. A second,low “Bravo” rang out, and he turned in the direction the voice camefrom. He saw. . .

Zhou Kang Sheng was even more shocked!

Min Chen actually took the initiative to get up and gave thisstudent a “Bravo”?!

Zhou Kang Sheng picked up his SLR and took a photo on pure reflex.The angle he was standing at was unique. He could capture the image of both MinChen's left profile and the smiling young man on the stage.

Then Zhou Kang Sheng clapped, still in utter shock. He whisperedto himself, “This is really. . . Can a student have such strength? CouldQi Mu be. . . the next Min Chen?!"

Onstage, sweat glistened from Qi Mu's forehead. The piece was complicatedand had taken its toll on him.

When the first “Bravo” rang out, roaring applauseresounded in the concert hall. It was as shocking as the mountains.

Qi Mu politely bowed and waited for the judges to rate and commenton his performance. Most judges gave him nine points, though some offered 10.All gave praise as if the former performers were air.

When it was Master Leonid's turn, he looked at Qi Mu and saidsolemnly, “Your 《Bell》 made me return to a performance from over a decade ago. . .Someone played Liszt's 《Bell》 in Xiaosai and was the only person to get a full score.”

Surprised, Qi Mu turned to look at the man sitting at Leonid'sside.

Leonid didn't say Min Chen's name directly, but many in theaudience were already whispering, "I didn't expect Leonid to give this studentsuch a high evaluation," "He even compared him to Mr. Bertram from thatcompetition," or, "Leonid's judgment has always been accurate."

Leonid looked at the elegant young man on the stage and finallysighed, "Your 《Bell》 is the best I've heard in the ten years. So I will give you. . .10 points."

Although he already obtained two full marks before this, whenLeonid said the words “10 points”, the audience was still amazed.

Unexpectedly, after this, Bella Kim gave a high score of 9 pointswith a smile. Frankly, she said, “Your violin is worth 10 points, but yourunderstanding of 《Bell》 and mine are different, so. . . I can only give you 9points.”

After the nine judges gave their score, Qi Mu's total reached 85points! As long as Min Chen gave him more than 5, he would surpass Langston'sscore and be the first with 90 points or more!

The eyes of the crowd could not be more concentrated on the mansitting in the center of the judges. They all remembered. . . when Qi Mufinished playing, he was the first to stand and applaud.

So. . .

“Your 《Bell》 is excellent. Your portamento, staccato, and chords are skillfuland concise. You also have a unique understanding of music.” In the primaryjudge's seat, the cold and noble man’s thin lip curled. He whispered,“Very good, well. . . 9.5 points.”

When the score “9.5 points” was uttered, most of theaudience was stunned, but Qi Mu was relieved. He smiled and walked off thestage. His high score of 94.5 points made many students congratulate him. Theones in the violin department cheered and asked Qi Mu to treat them for a meal.

“Oh my, Little Seven, that 9.5 points given by Mr. Bertram!It's not the same! You're 5.5 points higher than Langston!”

“Yes, Seven, you must treat us today. But it's a pity. . .you almost got 95 points, if only Mr. Bertram gave you that 0.5. . ."

. . .

At the over violin students' cheers, Qi Mu felt like. . . theperson who played just now wasn't him, but them.

However, them being so happy for him made him feel touched. Hedidn’t want to get 10 points from Min Chen like Angelo had mentioned.

When he heard Min Chen's comment, Qi Mu gave him a look. Thestudent hoped Min Chen wouldn't give him an outrageous score because of theirfriendship.

He believed his 《Bell》 still had room for improvement. It had yet to reach perfection.

At the judges' table, a certain man sighed at his “lowscore.”

When he was speaking, Qi Mu kept staring at him. Min Chenunderstood. . . Qi Mu was worried that he would be biased because they kneweach other. Only Min Chen knew, to avoid suspicion, the perfect score he wantedto give dropped to 9.5 points.

“Auston, I didn’t expect you to give 9.5 points. That scoreis really high, I thought you wouldn't give more than 9.” Mr. Leonidsighed, “But I didn’t expect a student with such a skill. . . Auston, youreally have a good eye.”

Bella, on the other hand, said, "Leon, do you really think. . .Auston just picked that student on the spot?"

Leonid was surprised. "He didn't?!"

Bella laughed and said nothing.

Leonid turned to Min Chen only to see him calmly staring back athim with an eyebrow arched. Min Chen asked, "Will you write the review?"

Leonid: ". . ."

"Well?"

". . . Will write. . ."

Later, Leonid said, "But Auston, you have to tell me, do you knowthat Chinese student?"

A smile flashed in Min Chen's dark eyes, and he asked, "Do youthink?"

Leonid: ". . ."

Translator

(s): Kuro

Editor

Kuro:

I recommend you guys listen to

Zigeurnerweisen by

SoHyun Ko, a violin prodigy (I think). The note transition in the fourth movement was abrupt, so you will definitely know when it happens. Controlling a bow is difficult because as long as the bow touches the strings, it will inevitably create a noise. Seeing her control her bow with such precision really made me in awe of her talent and efforts. And as you know,

TwoSetViolin were also in awe

lol