Overture Magazine: 2017-2018 Season January-February 2018 | Page 50
IMPROMPTU
Qing Li
VIOLIN
COMING FULL CIRCLE
Growing up in China during the Cultural
Revolution, it was understood that Qing Li
would be a classically trained musician. “Before
he was married, my father said his child would
be a great violinist,” says Li. “So I always knew I
was going to be a professional musician.”
Li is the featured soloist in the BSO’s presen-
tation of The Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto,
one of the pieces programmed for February’s
Family and Education concerts. “It’s in my
blood, I grew up with it,” she says of the work.
“In China, the piece is known to one billion
out of 1.3 billion people. It’s the equivalent of
the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto in familiarity.”
Li came to the U.S. at age 19 to study at Peabody.
“Though I was trained as a soloist from the age
of four and competed at a high level during my
teens, I didn’t fully understand that the violin
is a musical language. My true musical journey
began at 26 when I joined the BSO.”
As if playing with the BSO, teaching at Peabody
and flying to Asia for recruitment weren’t
enough, Li is also very active with the Piatigorsky
Foundation. Named after legendary cellist
Gregor Piatigorsky, the non-profit foundation’s
mission is to make live classical music part of
everyday life for communities throughout the
U.S. The foundation covers 20 states, including
geographically isolated areas. “We average 7
or 8 concerts per 8-day tour,” says Li. “It’s been
incredible to drive through the country while
presenting live music in schools, art centers
and senior homes.”
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In addition to serving as Principal Second
Violin with the BSO, Li is now in her second
year as one of Peabody’s Faculty Artists, and
she recently completed her first solo recital at
the Conservatory. Beyond maintaining a studio
of 11 students, Li also travels frequently to Asia
to actively recruit new talent for the school.
“I was one of these kids—they’re just like me all
those years ago. It’s full circle for me.” She has
also participated in a new international project
at Carnegie Hall, called NYO-China, in which
she trains the next generation of young Chinese
musicians during her summer breaks.