Rachmaninoff at 150
Yingdi Sun and the Fourth Concerto
Yingdi Sun × Guoyong Zhang × Guiyang Symphony Orchestra
Guiyang · Qingdao · Chengdu
Overview
In 2023, the world celebrates the 150th anniversary of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s birth and the 80th anniversary of his passing — honoring the composer whose music bridged Romantic passion and modern introspection.
Throughout the year, pianist Yingdi Sun toured across China with leading orchestras to perform Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Minor, Op. 40, a work once misunderstood but now seen as the composer’s most profound statement of resilience, reflection, and renewal.
From Guiyang to Qingdao and Chengdu, each concert traced Rachmaninoff’s journey from youthful brilliance to mature serenity, pairing the Fourth Concerto with the Symphony No. 1 and other seminal works — echoing the depth of a life devoted to sound and soul.
About the artist
Yingdi Sun
Gold Medalist of the 7th International Franz Liszt Piano Competition (Utrecht, 2005), Yingdi Sun has been praised for “precision, brilliance, and an unerring sense of line.” He has appeared with major orchestras including the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, London Philharmonic, and China Philharmonic, earning recognition as one of China’s leading pianists of his generation.
Guiyang
Yingdi Sun × Guoyong Zhang × Guiyang Symphony Orchestra
Program
Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873–1943)
Symphony No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 13
I. Grave – Allegro non troppo
II. Allegro animato
III. Larghetto
IV. Allegro con fuoco
Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Minor, Op. 40
I. Allegro vivace
II. Largo
III. Allegro vivace
Date & Venue
January 13, 2023 · 20:00 ·
Guiyang Grand Theatre · Concert Hall
Overview
At the Guiyang Grand Theatre, pianist Yingdi Sun joined conductor Guoyong Zhang and the Guiyang Symphony Orchestra for a symphonic tribute to Rachmaninoff’s enduring legacy.
The rarely performed Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Minor, Op. 40—revised over three decades between 1914 and 1941—reveals a mature Rachmaninoff grappling with memory, displacement, and modernity. The concert also featured the youthful Symphony No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 13, whose turbulent premiere in 1897 once plunged the composer into despair but is now celebrated as a visionary masterpiece.
Artists
Conductor
Guoyong Zhang
One of China’s foremost conductors, Guoyong Zhang serves as Music Director of the Guiyang Symphony Orchestra and Professor at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music.
A graduate of the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory under Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Zhang has conducted major Chinese orchestras and international ensembles, renowned for his insightful interpretations of Russian repertoire and his leadership in national and international productions.
Orchestra
Guiyang Symphony Orchestra
Founded in 2009, the Guiyang Symphony Orchestra is China’s first professional orchestra established under a public–private partnership. Comprised of over seventy musicians from ten countries, the orchestra has become a vibrant cultural emblem of Guizhou Province, presenting ambitious concert seasons and international collaborations that reflect both innovation and excellence.
Qingdao
Yingdi Sun × Yi Huang × Qingdao Symphony Orchestra
Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873–1943)
Vocalise, Op. 34, No. 14
Symphony No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 13
I. Allegro ma non troppo
II. Allegro animato
III. Larghetto
IV. Allegro con fuoco
Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Minor, Op. 40
I. Allegro vivace (Alla breve)
II. Largo
III. Allegro vivace
Date & Venue
April 22, 2023 · 19:30
Qingdao People’s Hall · Concert Hall
Overview
On April 22, 2023, the Qingdao Symphony Orchestra opened its “Rachmaninoff at 150” commemorative series at the Qingdao People’s Hall, with Yi Huang conducting and Yingdi Sun as piano soloist.
The program traced Rachmaninoff’s artistic evolution through three stages — from the lyrical Vocalise, to the youthful vigor of the Symphony No. 1 in D Minor, and finally to the introspective Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Minor.
A work reimagined through three major revisions, the Fourth Concerto stands today as Rachmaninoff’s most subtle and psychological piano concerto — a testament to perseverance and reinvention in the face of adversity.
Artists
Conductor
Yi Huang
A prominent figure among the new generation of Chinese conductors, Yi Huang is Resident Conductor of the China Philharmonic Orchestra, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Kunming Nie’er Symphony Orchestra, and Principal Guest Conductor of the National Ballet of China Orchestra.
Educated at the Central Conservatory of Music and Hanns Eisler Hochschule für Musik (Berlin), Huang is represented by Askonas Holt. His conducting combines precision with expressive flair, drawing acclaim for his performances of Romantic and 20th-century repertoire.
Orchestra
Qingdao Symphony Orchestra
Established in 2005, the Qingdao Symphony Orchestra has become one of China’s most active and artistically versatile ensembles. The orchestra collaborates with leading conductors and soloists from Asia and Europe, performing a wide range of repertoire and contributing to Qingdao’s cultural prominence as an international coastal city.
Chengdu
Yingdi Sun × Qiyuan Zhu × Chengdu Symphony Orchestra
No. 4 — Rachmaninoff × Brahms
Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873–1943)
Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Minor, Op. 40
I. Allegro vivace
II. Largo
III. Allegro vivace
Johannes Brahms (1833–1897)
Symphony No. 4 in E Minor, Op. 98
I. Allegro non troppo
II. Andante moderato
III. Allegro giocoso
IV. Allegro energico e passionato
Date & Venue
May 13, 2023 · 19:30
Chengdu City Concert Hall · Concert Hall
Overview
Presented under the poetic title “No. 4”, this concert united two composers of immense influence — Rachmaninoff and Brahms — each represented by their final monumental works: Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Minor and Brahms’s Symphony No. 4 in E Minor.
Held at the Chengdu City Concert Hall on May 13, 2023, and conducted by Qiyuan Zhu, the program celebrated closure and transformation — the essence of two masters bidding farewell to their art through clarity, discipline, and passion.
Artists
Conductor
Qiyuan Zhu
Born in Shanghai and educated in the United States under maestro David Zinman, Qiyuan Zhu serves as Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Sichuan Conservatory Symphony Orchestra and Artistic Director of the Sino-Russian Symphony Orchestra of Harbin Conservatory of Music.
Known for his refined technique, clarity of gesture, and deep musical insight, Zhu has collaborated with major orchestras across China, Europe, and North America.
Orchestra
Chengdu Symphony Orchestra
A leading professional ensemble in Southwest China, the Chengdu Symphony Orchestra is celebrated for its innovative programming and close collaborations with distinguished Chinese and international artists. As part of Chengdu’s vibrant cultural landscape, the orchestra has become a key platform for connecting global repertoire with local audiences.