Six months on: Reflections from Ryan Zhu
The past six months has been a blur ever since those two weeks in – full of novel experiences, ideas, and meetings; I find myself reflecting not just on what has passed, but looking forward with great anticipation for the coming months and years.
Competitions are strange yet wonderful experiences; at least for me, they have always been a catalyst for dramatic development within my own workshop. Hastings was a particular highlight for me, not just for the accolade itself, but that it gave a kind of assurance in my chosen path; that in fact, my way of music (so to speak) can lead to performances and reactions that contain genuine meaning and depth for all of us.
The first chance I had to push my ideas even further was in May, during my Wigmore debut. Of course, the reputation of the hall needs no introduction; but my own experience was punctuated by my amazement (and indeed, excitement) at how welcoming the hall was to the lower end of the dynamic range. As long as one has a clear idea of the conception of character, there is almost no danger in pushing the sound to the most intimate and private of intonations. And of course, it is a joy to perform with the liberty of a recital. A magical experience!
This past month has found me with the Lieven Piano Foundation in Vienna – the cultural hub of old – where the air and aura of converging stories and histories are just as much a teacher as the practice room. To be able to let the human spirit breathe in fresh, new environments is necessary for artistic development – but also a blessing when the possibility arises. I have found more and more that some of the greatest work musicians can do with their music comes at times one least expects it, almost unconsciously with the air we breathe. And as I wrap up my time before heading back to the Americas, I look forward even more to my return to London and Hastings in October – where I look forward immensely to giving something where I look forward immensely to bringing a different perspective to my performance, outside the competition setting, informed by my new insights.
To all of you – thank you for your support, and for your continued and conscious effort to engage with music. I believe that only if audiences are also willing to listen, consider and question with a near-childlike curiosity as we musicians should do, only then can the full transformative potential of music be reached.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ryan Zhu, First prizewinner, Hastings International Piano Competition 2026
📷 : Matthew Andrews
