Chapter 38, Song 38...
As soon as she got home, Qu Jiaying told her parents about Liu Ru's invitation and cautiously asked, "Should I accept?"
As a lawyer, Qu's mother focused more on the details of the contract terms: "Did he specify the duration? How much funding will be provided each year?"
"I haven't asked for that much detail yet," Qu Jiaying said.
Mr. Qu pondered for a moment and said, "After the last interview, I talked to you once. We both agreed that too much publicity wouldn't be good for you since you haven't achieved anything yet. Have you changed your mind now?"
Qu Jiaying was silent for a while: "I'm a junior now, and I'll definitely be going abroad again. Whether it's taking master classes, going to a music academy, or participating in competitions all over the world, it will definitely cost a lot of money. I don't want you to work too hard, but I'm also worried that too much attention will make it hard for me to maintain my form."
“That’s true. I’ve handled several defamation cases, and I don’t want you to be harassed like that online,” Mrs. Qu said with a smile. “But once you become a soloist, you still need to promote yourself more, otherwise how will you sell tickets?”
"That's still a long way off," Qu Jiaying said.
Mr. Qu looked at Qu Jiaying with satisfaction. In this increasingly narcissistic era, everyone wants to gain more attention, but she takes all of this seriously and focuses all her energy and attention on the violin. However, as her parents, they still hope that she can balance work and rest.
“Your mother and I think the same way. Don’t worry about money. Just focus on practicing the piano. The family will support you more than enough,” said Mr. Qu.
Qu Jiaying wanted to say something more, but her phone rang.
It was a call from the luthier surnamed Zhong; I had left my contact information with him before when he serviced my bow.
"When are you coming? I'm only free tomorrow, otherwise it will be the second half of the month," Teacher Zhong urged.
"You go ahead with your work, I'm going to my teacher's place to find a luthier," Qu Jiaying said again.
"I'll just take a look for you so I can report back to General Manager Liu. You can come over tomorrow."
Qu Jiaying was at a loss and was thinking of just bringing the bow and zither with her, just like before.
Teacher Zhong added, "I happen to be getting my Stradivarius serviced tomorrow."
"Can I try it?" Qu Jiaying asked.
"Bring your instrument over tomorrow and we'll talk about it then."
Qu Jiaying had no choice but to agree.
Qu's father asked in confusion, "Isn't this a good thing? Since he maintains the best violins, he must be very skilled in the industry. Why are you still making excuses?"
Qu Jiaying patiently explained, "Generally speaking, it's an implicit rule."
The classical music world is very traditional and values mentorship the most.
Of course, students can switch teachers if they feel that a particular teacher is not teaching well or they have reached a plateau in their learning. This is perfectly fine, as students will generally seek out better teachers.
The problem is that you can't switch from a good teacher to a less capable one, or take classes from two different teachers at the same time.
Last week, Qu Jiaying met a boy in the competition. He had his own ideas and his violin playing skills were also good. As a result, he was taken into the master class of a famous teacher. However, he felt that the famous teacher played very well but his teaching level was not good. So he found another teacher outside who was of average level but taught very well. In this way, he could improve his skills and retain the influence of the famous teacher on the competition.
But obviously, the circle is so small that he was discovered. The famous teacher was very angry and kicked him out. But the circle is not that small. The influence of famous teachers on the competition can only reach the country where they are located at most. So he went to another country to participate in the competition and found a teacher who was more suitable for him.
However, this is a rare case because the boy was talented and flexible in his dealings with people, and the matter was eventually resolved. Most students are still the weaker party when dealing with teachers and do not dare to challenge the teacher's authority, fearing that they will not be able to get into a good music academy.
Every story has two sides. When Qu Jiaying was a child, she heard from her parents that some young musicians and their parents were forced by their teachers to buy instruments, and the teachers would take a cut. The luthiers or music stores were practically tied to the teachers.
Qu Jiaying wasn't forced to buy the piano, but she didn't want to have a falling out with Teacher Xia Xiaolei over such a small matter.
However, the allure of Stradivarius was too strong, and Qu Jiaying still took her instrument to see Teacher Zhong the next day.
Le Yi, Yan Zheng, and Xiang Min, who were also curious about the Stradivarius violin, followed along.
The studio was filled with the mixed smell of wood, glue, and varnish. The cabinets were piled with wood, and the workbench was covered with half-finished instruments, from violins to cellos, as well as guitars and other wooden instruments.
Teacher Zhong took the violin case from Qu Jiaying. He first checked the bow. The last time he came, it had cracked because it had been in Grandma Chen Fang's hands. He had repaired it once, so he had to check and maintain it from time to time.
"I'm busy right now. There are a few pianos I just finished over there. Could you guys help me test them out?"
Qu Jiaying and her three companions went to try out the pianos. Not far away, Teacher Zhong and his apprentices were clinking and clanging as they fetched wood and polished the details.
Ordinary zithers are basically mass-produced, and most music stores sell this type of zither. Higher quality zithers are handmade by luthiers. Luthiers of average skill will be affiliated with music stores, while Mr. Zhong is independent and relies on his reputation. The next level up are the historical and precious zithers.
All of Yan Zheng and Xiang Min's violins were bought from music stores. Although they were made by the store's luthiers, Yan Jing's viola was made by a specialized luthier. He would take it for maintenance when it occasionally had problems, so he had taken Yan Zheng to the luthier's workshop before.
Xiang Min's mother, Xiang Xiaojuan, had also changed her cello before. The ones she bought were made by the luthier at the music store. Later, when she became famous, a collector lent her an expensive cello.
Le Yi had only been to music stores and met tuners, so there wasn't much difference for him. Pianos were different in every place, so he didn't choose a violin, which was mass-produced.
So when Le Yi, Yan Zheng, and Xiang Min tried it out, they found that the piano in this studio had excellent sound quality.
However, it is still somewhat inferior to Qu Jiaying's instrument, but who knows if a famous performer will use it in the future, causing its value to skyrocket.
"I also checked your instrument. It's in very good condition. It seems you cherish it. It's never been damaged before. It should have only had the paint refinished. How much did you pay for it before?" Teacher Zhong asked.
Qu Jiaying reported a six-figure sum.
Teacher Zhong nodded: "A piano of this quality would cost at least a third more here."
"It was sold to me by my teacher's luthier a few years ago." Qu Jiaying knew she hadn't been taken advantage of.
"No wonder you didn't want to contact me," Teacher Zhong sighed.
He learned this craft in Europe and worked as an apprentice for a long time. His teacher introduced him to business, and with the help of Chinese customers, he gradually became independent and opened this branch in China. He understands even more the close relationship between master and apprentice.
He could tell that Qu Jiaying's playing was the best among them. Luthiers all hope to find a promising talent so that they can sell their instruments in the future by using the name of a famous performer to increase prices, and he was no exception.
Although the violin he made was not as good as the one Qu Jiaying already had, he still had Stradivarius.
"Let me show you Stradivarius," Teacher Zhong told them to wait a moment.
He took it from the safe, carefully opened it, and explained, "When I first acquired this instrument, it was severely damaged, with several cracks and even some missing parts. The collector got it at a bargain price at an auction and then came to me. I spent several months repairing it, and finding the right wood alone took a lot of effort. Fortunately, the final result was quite good."
Teacher Zhong sighed again, "But the previous owner only kept it as a collection. He didn't play any instruments. I told him that it couldn't be kept in the safe forever and that it should be used from time to time, just like appliances and cars. He would then pass it on to me and ask me to maintain it every now and then. But I can't go to his safe every day. He didn't want to lend it out when he was alive, and now it's in the hands of a charity. There are no plans to lend it out for the time being. I try my best to use it a few more times, but I also have to travel a lot for work and I'm very busy. It's such a pity that such a beautiful sound and such a beautiful instrument can't be played."
He handed it to Qu Jiaying: "Give it a try."
Qu Jiaying carefully set up the violin, which was at least a hundred times more expensive than her own.
In theory, or perhaps what Qu Jiaying prefers to believe, is that the improvement in sound quality is not that significant.
However, on a psychological level, its high value and historical significance inevitably evoke special feelings in her.
Qu Jiaying nocked the bow, and the music flowed freely throughout the room, even reaching the street outside. Passersby stopped to listen, wanting to hear more after finishing the piece.
There were no other sounds coming from inside the room for a long time.
It was Teacher Zhong who spoke up, expressing even greater regret: "In my hands, it showed no brilliance. Only when it reached the hands of a truly skilled performer did they realize how beautiful the sound of this instrument was."
"I really didn't expect it, Jiaying, the sound quality is much better than yours," Xiang Min commented.
"The tone is softer and clearer," Yan Zheng analyzed.
“It’s perfect for you,” Le Yi said bluntly.
It's obvious that it attracts everyone's attention. Every confident violinist feels they are suited to Stradivarius.
Qu Jiaying gently touched the patterns on the instrument. The touch was so magical that she felt as if she hadn't just played it, but rather her hands had extended and become part of the instrument.
She shook her head; its titles and prices had blinded her, creating an illusion. She tried to calm herself down.
Teacher Zhong said, "I also think it's very suitable for you. Actually, I've asked a few friends who play the violin to try it out. Some of them are musicians who work in symphony orchestras, but their voices are really not as good as yours. I haven't been able to find a musician who can bring out the best tone for it, so I haven't suggested to the charity foundation to lend it out. I'm often saddened that this precious gem is being neglected, but I've finally found it today."
"Thank you for your compliment, but I am not the best violinist," Qu Jiaying said earnestly.
“Maybe so, but that’s fate. I heard your piano playing, and Mr. Liu, a member of the foundation, introduced you first,” Teacher Zhong said. “Charities are good for doing good deeds, but they are also places for wealthy people to avoid taxes, do publicity, and find meaning in life. So they lend to young musicians who have just become soloists or musicians with the potential to become soloists.”
-----------------------
Author's Note: Please add "Perfect Match" to your favorites for pre-order!
Synopsis: Ji Chun lived for over twenty years in the interstellar era. Suddenly, she dreamt that she had transmigrated into a cannon fodder female supporting character in an interstellar novel. In order to obtain residency on the central planet, she had to participate in gene matching. As a result, she was targeted by rebel spies who altered her matching score. In the end, the spies were exposed, and she was implicated and imprisoned. All of this was just the background for the love story between the male and female protagonists in the original book.
Ji Chun had a headache. She had already signed up for gene matching, but seeing that she couldn't stop the original plot from happening, she turned around and bumped into her college friend He Yue.
Ji Chun was overjoyed: "Shall we get married?"
He Yue extended his hand: "It's a pleasure to cooperate with you."
No one could have imagined that He Yue, known for his coldness and ruthlessness, would chase after Ji Chun a year later, begging her not to leave.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
