Prelude

Yundi has been my friend for almost ten years. From my point of view, he was an immature little boy. His playing was full of passion and very musical. When i was listening to his playing, i always thought,"Wow, such a talent player!" I remember Mr. Dan said,"Yundi will be famous one day." i didn't believe so. By looking at him, although he had gift, he was just a normal piano player who had small hands. I yelled at him when he was annoying. But it didn't bother us to become close friends till he left for Shenzhen. I remembered that i was crying so hard at that time. I realized that i lost a good friend who i really love and he will always be in my heart forever. After 4 years, I could able to get hold of him again after i came to US. I was sure that his playing has improved so much. I could tell he grew a lot from pictures: taller, maturer and handsomer. He is not a little boy any more. Every time when i talked to him, he always has good news. Of course I was happy for him. He was getting closer to where he always dreamt of. Maybe he would become a good pianist in the future, i thought. He mentioned about he was preparing the Chopin International Piano Competition which is one of the biggest and most difficult piano competition. He even gave up to study in US and put all of his energy on it. I could not do anything for him but wish him good luck. I remembered his 18 birthday was coming. I asked my friend who was going to Poland brought a small gift to him. I thought Yundi might not win this time, but he will have good experience. No matter what, i will support him. During the competition, i had been checking the website all the time. There was one morning, I could not believe i saw: the first prize winner was Yundi Li. I was staring at the screen and kept telling myself it wasn't a dream. I did not know why my tears came out. I understood how important this was for him. I could feel how happy and excited he was. It was a prove and prize of his hard work, his life, his ambition and his dream. I felt his happiness, excitment and surprise through the phone. He wanted to share his happiness to everyone. At that moment, i felt he was the same person in five years ago --- a young boy. Is he really?

Xiaolu Zhang/HK Apple Daily News 2001

Sonatina -- Piano VS. Accordian

My best friend in the Sichuan Conservatory of Music was majoring accordian performance. One day, she showed me an accordian competition prize that she got when she was very young. "Wow, that's nice!" I said. She smiled:"I'm not that proud of the prize, the thing i want to show you is this." She pointed to a name on the competitors' list. I saw three big chinese words: Li Yun Di. I laughed," Li Yundi played accordian? Aiya, I didn't know the best pianist in our class used to play it and participated competition. Mmm... interesting." My friend said:"He changed to learn piano when he was seven years old. It's pretty late. Mr. Dan(yundi's piano teacher) said Yundi's hands were too small, but he discovered Yundi's musical talents. So he agree That's why Yundi moved to Chengdu." "Hahaha! good for him. He choce right, otherwise we would lose a great pianist, and you would have an enemy. hahahaha..."

Xiaolu Zhang/HK Apple Daily News, 2001

Caprise -- Xiaoming's Birthday Party

I went to Xiaoming's(Yundi's best friend in Sichuan) birthday party on August 13, 1995. That day was the first time i saw Yundi after he got the third prize in the Stravinsky International Piano Competition. I was excited to see him, but i didn't act that way. Why? I didn't know. We went to Casino. Xiaoming and I was talking and langhing all the time. Yundi? Followed us. At dinner, Xiaoming's mom asked:"Mmm... Yundi, when are you leaving?" I stoped talking to Xiaoming:"What? what did you just say? where???!!!" Xiaoming's Mom:"Oh. Mr. Dan will move to Shenzhen, most of his students will transfer to Shenzhen Art School, and Yundi is one of them. Xiaoming can't..." I held my breath for few seconds, my teeth were biting my lip, staring at Yundi. I felt i was in the dark, so cold. I couldn't hear what Xiaoming's mom was saying. I didn't have appetite to eat any more. I couldn't remember what happened after that. I remember i said something to Yundi on the way to home. I remember my tears were full of my eye, i only could see lights, but i didn't cry out. I remember I regreted what i had done to him. I remeber I really did care about Yundi and he was important to me. I remember i said bye to him and waved my hand. I remember I thought it was the last time we saw each other, and i will miss him and he will be in my memory forever.
One month after, I saw Yundi at school again. What a surprise!? Mr. Dan delayed his moving scheduale...

Class of '00, ShenZhen School of Arts, 2000

One time, I was talking about our old classmate died in a car accedent with Yundi. Yundi asked:"Who died?" I repeated the name. He said he couldn't remember her. I was shocked. I tried to remind him, but he said he couldn't picture the face. Although I was very sad and disappointed, i was teasing him about maybe he will ask who i am one day. He was langhing and saying he won't. He started to explain how busy he is, he only remeber his close friends in Sichuan, and he even can't remember some his classmates in Shenzhen. Sigh... What is in his memory? Why does he have to be so busy and forget things?

Takuya Kimura, www.google.com

Partita -- Takuya Li?!

    I. Allemanda

Jing:hey, do you know so many poeple think you look like Takuya Kimura?
Yundi:Who?
Jing:TAKUYA, the famous japanese singer and actor. He is soooo... handsome, cool, attractive......
Yundi:I don't know...
Jing:Aiyah! I watched his drama "Long Vacation". So good leh!
Yundi:Ohh...

II. Corrente

Jing:Why so many people think you look like Takuya. I dissagree.
Yundi:I don't think so, either.
Jing:Exactely!
Yundi:Right.
Jing:I think Takuya looks much better than you leh! Heeheehee...
Yundi:Umm...You know what, I will attend a show named something called S-m-a--p...
Jing:Ahhh.....Smap*Smap! Aiya, you are so lucky yeh! Hey, don't forget to get his autograph for me!!!! Remember~~~~~~!!!!!!!!
Yundi:Mmm...Aiya~~~ You.... sigh.....

III. Sarabanda

After Yundi attended the show Smap*Smap in Japan, I had conversation about Takuya with him again. He really enjoyed to work with Takuya, and respected him as a successful singer and actor. He said Takuya was a very nice person. He appeciated Yundi's participance. I asked Yundi:"Did you get his autograph for me?" Yundi:"Aiya, No..." J:"Ahhhh!!!! You didn't...(crying without tears)So, what did he look like? Oh, he is so handsome..." Y:"He is good looking." J:"Do you think he looks like you now?" Y:"We are quite different. We are same height, but he looked shorter than me, because he has longer body." J:"Hahahaha! That's so funny!" Y:"And he is much stronger than me. Darker skin. Basically, we are not similar at all. He talks like what he does in his dramas." J:"Wait. How do you know what he is like in the dramas?" Y:"Somebody showed me a part of his drama." J:"Hahaha... I'm glad you knew who Takuya is now. Let me play one of his songs for you on the computer." I played Smap's Lion Heart and put the phone closed to speakers. Y:"I heard that song, the CD cover is..." J:"What? How come you knew that?" Y:"Well, they gave me that CD. By the way, I can get any CD which are published by Universal, they send them to me." J:"Wow, sweet!"

Sonata -- Card with Sincerity

Jing's Christmas Cards Collection, 1994

1st Movement - Introduction, Allegro moderato

Many years ago, It was popular to send New Year cards to friends. I bought a hundred cards in 1994 winter. Those cards took so much time to be filled with greeting words. I was very impatient but still kept writting all the time. I divided those cards to three groups. 1. the most beautiful cards to friends whom i was really close to. 2. Normal cards to classmates and "enemies" whom i only said hi. 3. Teachers and relatives. I felt like i couldn't practice violin in these days, because my hands were hurt by writting almost same sentences and my name too long. (I understood how tired Yundi's hands were by signing his autograph.)

2nd Movement - Molto vivace

It was a cold and dark winter morning, I was busy with my greeting cards before the first class started. "Mmm... This one is to Zhou Han... Happy New Year...From your good friend Zeng Jing...Mmm... Next one is for..." I didn't noticed that Xiaoming sat in the front of me. X:"Yo! Today's first card for you." J:"From who?" X:"Only your name on the envelope." J:"Let me see." I grabed it from his hand and opened it quickly. "How cute!" I cried out. It was a white cartoon rabbit who holds a gift box on the card. Very girlish style. "To Zeng Jing..." I was reading the words from sender. "Happy New Year! Studies and Violin skills improve fast!" from the hand-writting, i could tell it was from a guy who was trying to write those words as clean as he could. Under "Happy new year", there were few words which were very unclear that hardly to be read were written in the different colour: Little card sends my sincerity. and the sender's name in the corner: Li Yun Di. Before I was going to thank Yundi who was sitting behind me, Xiaoming whispered to me:"Li Yundi chose this card for you specially, I was with him, he told me." I made face to him:"Stupid pig, have you reserved a very, very nice card for me, too. Umh?" Then, i was trying to tickle him. ~~~Dang-Dang-Dang~~~!!!! The class bell was on. I stoped catching Xiaoming, sat down, took my books out. "Sigh. Boring class..." then, I continued to writting my cards.

3rd Movement -- Andante-Largo

we were young

Jing's Photo Collection, 1995

One year later after Yundi has gone, i was cleaning up my old stuff. The hundreds new year cards scattered from the closet when i opened it. I picked them up one by one. They are my sweet memories. See, this one was from my best girlfriend. Wow, she wrote so much. She said i had always screamed when i heard some gossip in the class. Hahahaha... And that one was from my cousin. Ha, she drew a card for me...... Rabbit! The white cute rabbit looks like Yundi was half covered by one card. i picked it up. The rabbit was still smiling to me. I opened it again. This time i read the words one by one again and again. "Li Yundi, Li yundi, what are you doing right now? Do you still remember me? You know i miss you..." I murmured to myself. I just realized that I even forgot to say thank you to him. "Stupid big, that's your fault. Well...Actually, it was my fault. sigh..." I even can't remember whether I gave him a card, what i wrote, and what the card looked like. I had no idea. Maybe I was too busy with finishing to write the cards. If time can goes back, i would say thank you a hundred times and draw a card for you. Will you forgive me? Now I've finally realised your sincerity is forever.

4th Movement -- Finale, Presto

One regret from yesterday filled my mind, but what could i do to compensate it. I found there was blank card on my desk. I phoned Xiaoming right away for Yundi's address in Shenzhen. Well, that was only thing i could do for making me feel better. Writting same greetings but with different feeling. "Who knows if you will get it. It's just school's address." I was thinking. I wrote my name on:"Wait, I can't just leave my name in there. If his mom see it... She will probably misconstrue with it, then Li Yundi will get in trouble. Aiyah, that's not good. Mmm... Ah! Let me put other friends' names. Ha!" I put Xiaoming and other friends' names on the card, too. I felt more securely with it. I sent it out with my best wishes, apology and yearning.
Hope you will get it, Yundi.

Coda

One afternoon in 2000, I got a phone from Yundi's dad uncle Li. During our conversation, His dad said the friendship was our treasure that should be kept forever. Yundi has been keeping our photos and greeting cards. He mentioned he saw there was a card from me, xiaoming... I knew it was the one that i sent. I almost forgot that I sent it.
Yundi, you got it, that's good... I don't blame on you didn't reply. It was already fair to me. Thank you for keeping it.

From my friend Yumiko

Theme With Variations - Answers for Fans

Theme

Yundi became crazy busy after he got the first prize of Chopin Competition. He has more and more fans since he become more and more famous. He knows so many his supporters want to talk to him, but he is very busy every day. I'm very glad that i'm acting like a bridge between Yundi and his Fans. That is my pleasure to help his fans catch his newest activities, know about him more, really understand him and keep supporting him.

Variation I

Since Yundi's Personal Photo Album has published on this site, so many his supporter acclaimed that they really liked about it. I am very happy about (^-^)" Yundi was asking about how people felt about his newest photos. He kept explain how unprofessional the pictures are and he hasn't cut his hair for long time ect. He asked me:"How do you think about my pictures?" J:"Mmm... I agree with one friend said pretty much like Takuya." Y:"What? Now you think i look like him, don't you?" J:"Well, I meant your fashion and style lah. Thick white sweater with high necklet in Takuya's style. Long and curly hair..." Y:"I didn't imitate him. I love that kind of sweater. Some people said i looked nicely with high necklet. My curly hair is natural, i didn't do anything to it. But Takuya's was made by hairdresser..." J:"Okok! You are different from him lah!"

Variation II

There was one Yundi's supporter was asking about the bears on the book shelf that appeared on his photo.(see photo II in Yundi's Personal Photo Album) I asked him what they were. Yundi answered:"Oh! On the shelf! Black toys are dogs, and one bear." J:"Are you crazy? You brought those toys to Germany?" Y:"Nonono... My mom bought them in here. She just saw them in a store and she liked them, then bought them. I wouldn't do that." J:"Hahahahah! Your mom is so cute. She looks so young on the pictures. She looks younger than seven years ago. Do you think so?" Y:"Hahaha... Many people said so. I used to see her every day, I couldn't feel any difference." J:"You know I used to scared of your mom so much." Y:"Hahaha... Really? She wasn't that scary."

Variation III

J:"I have been talking with your fans a lot recently. I really like them. Japanese fans are so nice." Y:"Ya, They were so nice when i was in Japan. Japanese people are very polite. I'm working with a japanese woman who works in DG. Her name is Junko. Actually there were many japanese are working in DG. I always heard they were talking in japanese. I knew some japanese sentence..." J:"The japanese fans who are from Yumiko's site were so excited to see your new pictures. They are your real fans." Yundi was happy to hear that, he was in the good mood totally:"That's great. Please tell them, I would like invite them to somewhere for having real fun during my tour in japan, if I will have time." J:"Ahhhh!!!!! That's so unfair! How about me?!"(ToT) Y:"Hahaha... Hey! We have been talking for hours. How about you guys switch, i go out with you once, and they have my phone no." J:"Okok. No lah..."(V;V)