Wang Yujia plays with the London Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Daniel Harding in Beijing. China Daily

Pianist will play 'hardest concerto'

Heavy metal magic

High-flying soloist Wang Yuja pays as much attention to her instrument as her performance, the perfectionist tells Chen Jie.

Wang Yuja is late to the interview. Before my turn, China Central Television's camera has been waiting outside her dressing room backstage at the National Center for the Performing Arts.

Her mother comes to explain that she was helping to tune the piano because it had not been in good condition at her concert the night before, when she played Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No 3 with the London Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Daniel Harding.

The pianist arrives 10 minutes later, in a short, tight black dress with a long silver zipper on the right side, and black stockings. Standing before the camera, she sways a little in 13-centimeter-high heels.

"What shall I say?"

"Just say hello to the CCTV music channel's audience," the reporter tells her, adding that this actually is not an interview.

"So simple? Don't you need me to say anything else?" The 27-year-old pianist says and bursts into laughter just like any Beijing girl-next-door.

Then we start talking about last night's concert. I tell her that on micro blogs, Chinese fans have been abuzz about her sexy scarlet dress.

"Oh, it's sad, only the dress, not the music," she says and laughs again. "I know, because the piano was running away, running from the end of the first movement.

"It was not the one I played here last year. They tuned it before the concert but it still did not sound good. I wanted to change the piano, but they sent a new tuner just now. Hopefully it will work tonight. Otherwise, it would be the pianist who should be changed.

"I followed the micro blogs for a while last year but I've quit now. All paparazzi and gossip-I just don't know how to respond."