“Extreme Challenge” — Cello Recital
Li-Wei Qin × Jia Jia Shi
2018 & 2023 · National Centre for the Performing Arts, Beijing
Overview
Conceived by cellist Li-Wei Qin, the Extreme Challenge Series is an ongoing artistic exploration of the cello’s physical, emotional, and spiritual frontiers.
Since its debut at Beijing’s National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in 2018, the series has evolved into a hallmark of Qin’s artistic vision — uniting superlative virtuosity with deep emotional introspection.
Each edition presents repertoire that pushes the limits of stamina, imagination, and expressivity. The goal is not to display difficulty for its own sake, but to reveal the delicate balance between discipline and abandon, intellect and instinct, control and freedom — the very essence of what it means to perform at the edge of human capacity.
2023 Edition — Extreme Challenge Reimagined
November 25, 2023 · Small Theatre, NCPA, Beijing
Cello: Li-Wei Qin · Piano: Jia Jia Shi
Programme
Zoltán Kodály (1882–1967) — Sonata for Solo Cello, Op.8
Dmitri Shostakovich (1906–1975) — Cello Sonata in D Minor, Op.40
Robert Schumann (1810–1856) — Adagio and Allegro, Op.70
Five years later, Extreme Challenge returned to the NCPA in a renewed form — not as a repetition, but as a reinvention.
Having lived with these works for years, Qin revisited them with profound maturity and renewed purpose.
Kodály’s monumental solo sonata stands as a test of endurance and imagination; Shostakovich’s sonata delves into psychological dualities of restraint and revolt; and Schumann’s radiant Adagio and Allegro provides lyrical resolution — a final gesture of warmth after the storm.
In this 2023 recital, every phrase becomes both a recollection and a rediscovery — the transformation of physical mastery into spiritual clarity.
2018 Edition — Mission Possible
November 25, 2018 · NCPA, Beijing
Cello: Li-Wei Qin · Piano: Jia Jia Shi
Programme
Zoltán Kodály — Sonata for Solo Cello, Op.8
Dmitri Shostakovich — Sonata for Cello and Piano in D Minor, Op.40
Robert Schumann — Adagio and Allegro, Op.70
Premiered as part of the 2018 Autumn Season of the NCPA, this first instalment — then titled Mission Possible — established the conceptual foundation of the Extreme Challenge Series.
Critic Zhang Keju (Xinmin Evening News) described Qin’s performance of Kodály’s Sonata as
“a benchmark for China’s classical stage —
the sound seemed to boil and burn, a rare fusion of discipline and ferocity.”
The concert revealed Qin’s uncompromising musicianship: an artist capable of merging dazzling technique with spiritual intensity, transforming physical endurance into pure musical eloquence.
Artists
Li-Wei Qin — Cello
“A ravishingly beautiful tone, flawless intonation, and ironclad technique.”
— The New York Times
A laureate of the Tchaikovsky International and Naumburg Competitions, Li-Wei Qin is recognised worldwide for his compelling artistry that unites commanding technique with poetic depth.
He has appeared as soloist with leading orchestras including the London Symphony, BBC Symphony, Singapore Symphony, Melbourne Symphony, and China Philharmonic, under the batons of Sir Andrew Davis, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Long Yu, and others.
Qin records exclusively for Decca and Sony Classical, with acclaimed releases such as Elgar/Britten/Walton Concertos (London Philharmonic), The Complete Beethoven Sonatas, and Dvořák’s Cello Concerto.
He has twice performed as soloist at the BBC Proms, and collaborates frequently with artists such as Daniel Hope, Nobuko Imai, and Peter Frankl.
Born in Shanghai and raised in Australia, Qin studied with Ralph Kirshbaum and David Takeno. He currently serves as Professor of Cello at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, National University of Singapore, and as Guest Professor at the Shanghai and Central Conservatories.
He performs on a Joseph Guadagnini c.1780 cello, sponsored by Dr. & Mrs. Wu Yuxun.
Jia Jia Shi — Piano
Pianist Jia Jia Shi is acclaimed for her exquisite tonal palette, interpretative depth, and exceptional chamber musicianship.
A protégé of Professor Zhou Guangren, she graduated from the Central Conservatory of Music (Beijing)and later earned dual master’s degrees in Piano Performance and Chamber Music from Germany’s Staatliche Hochschule für Musik Trossingen, studying with Gabriel Amiras (a pupil of Heinrich Neuhaus) and Sadao Harada (Tokyo String Quartet).
Her performances across China, Europe, and Japan have been praised for “dramatic precision and expressive warmth.” She has collaborated with eminent musicians including Rainer Kussmaul, Mikhail Kopelman, Wolfgang Böttcher, Eduard Brunner, and Lynn Harrell.
As Associate Professor and former Deputy Head of Chamber Music at the Central Conservatory of Music, Shi has been instrumental in promoting chamber music education in China, curating the Beijing International Chamber Music Masterclasses and serving as Vice-Chair of the Jury for the Shanghai Haydn Chamber Music Competition.
Her artistic partnership with Li-Wei Qin — spanning over a decade — continues to exemplify musical empathy, clarity, and shared artistic integrity.
Presented by
National Centre for the Performing Arts, Beijing
Produced by MAJOR Performing Arts Group