Chapter 58, Song 58 (End of Main Text)
On the day of the finals, Ruan Qi was the first to take the stage. She took a deep breath and nodded to the conductor and the chief.
The conductor raises his hand, the orchestra plays in unison, a terrifying apocalypse is about to arrive.
Then it gradually weakens, and the spirits of the dead are summoned, but the souls struggle, fearing death.
As the chaos gradually subsided, the deceased lined up to be judged.
The final part is the glorious light of heaven, where the soul breaks free from the shackles of the body and gains eternal salvation.
This is "resurrection".
Ruan Qi had no interest in religion, although she was well aware of the importance of this theme to Western composers. However, that did not mean she was unable to understand it. Human emotions are universal, so she inevitably recalled her own experiences.
As a child, she was a child prodigy who went abroad to participate in competitions and was interviewed by media outlets around the world.
She didn't know whether she was worse off than Zhong Yong, who suffered a similar fate. People in ancient times had a smaller world, so they would remember child prodigies even after many years. But modern people are overwhelmed with information and forget things in no time. She didn't know whether this was a good thing or a bad thing.
Although Ruan Qi also attended the affiliated high school of the music academy, only a few classmates knew that she was the champion of the competition during her middle school years. This was because there was a champion in each competition, and everyone only paid attention to the latest one. If the previous winners did not have more sensational news afterward, no one would remember them.
Nowadays, very few people remember it.
A few years ago, Ruan Qi felt ashamed that people knew she had once been a child prodigy, since she had no better achievements and couldn't face her failure.
But after arriving in Germany, Ruan Qi found the people there to be more relaxed. She interacted with many people, all of whom were highly skilled and had won awards. Some, like her, wanted to continue pursuing their careers as soloists, while others were quite at ease and planned to work in a symphony orchestra and teach children in their spare time. Still others formed bands with like-minded friends, intending to explore new forms by incorporating the most popular electronic music in Germany.
After much hesitation and deliberation, Ruan Qi finally let go of her inhibitions. Whether it was the genius prodigy or the body that had undergone multiple surgeries to cope with the high-intensity training, both were part of her.
She silently recited Klopstock's poem "Resurrection": "I will die, until I am reborn! Resurrection, yes, you will rise again!"
Ruan Qi composed herself, bowed to the audience, shook hands with the conductor and the chief, and slowly stepped off the stage.
She glanced back at the stage; she had given it her all, and now it was up to her competitors to see how they fared.
After packing her things, Ruan Qi put on her coat and sat down in the audience. The performance of the third-place winner in the preliminary round was also in its later stages.
After listening for a while, she noticed that the contestants on stage were playing on their own, completely ignoring the symphony orchestra despite their superb skills.
Even the best symphony orchestra in the country has a tough time coordinating with this one, and it's mentally exhausting.
Ruan Qi was somewhat worried that Qu Jiaying, who was appearing under these circumstances, would face an even more difficult situation than she had.
Qu Jiaying's companions tried their best to suppress their worries and not disturb her.
Qu Jiaying drank a small glass of strong liquor and practiced silently in her mind. Yan Zheng came over and knocked on the door to remind her that it was almost her turn to go on stage.
Yan Zheng handed her a handkerchief, and Qu Jiaying smiled slightly at him, took it, and wiped the thin layer of sweat from her temples.
She tuned her violin one last time, lifting her skirt with one hand as she walked forward.
Wang Zhou sat with a familiar music critic, and the two talked in hushed tones.
"The second and third place performers weren't doing so well just now, which affected the band's performance."
Wang Zhou wasn't quite sure how Qu Jiaying's rehearsals were going. She had indeed been the principal player of the school orchestra for two years, but playing as a soloist was quite different from playing in an orchestra. However, the piece she drew didn't require a solo performance, so Wang Zhou couldn't figure out whether it was a good thing or a bad thing.
The conductor and principal on stage nodded to Qu Jiaying. The principal changed to a soprano and looked at Qu Jiaying. As a woman, she had to admit that Qu Jiaying looked beautiful in her champagne-colored satin dress.
The chief student sighed inwardly, thinking that even if Qu Jiaying drew a piece without a solo section, she would still find a way to make her presence felt.
Before performing with Qu Jiaying, the principal didn't have a very good impression of her. She loved to participate in pop music events and hype herself up. She didn't have any awards yet, but she owned the most famous violin, and she also had sponsorships and music reviews. Could she be a violinist who practices well?
Of course, the principal maintained her professionalism and it didn't affect her performance, but the previous two rehearsals had already exhausted her and the conductor, so she didn't have high expectations for the fourth place.
When Qu Jiaying came up for rehearsal, she only communicated with him for one sentence, explaining the speed she was using.
Because the original score did not indicate the tempo, she tended to practice faster than the symphony orchestra had done before.
She needs to rehearse directly without any further conversation or interaction. Time is very tight, with only one and a half hours. If all goes well, she can rehearse three times.
The chief and the conductor were both surprised; Qu Jiaying spoke even less than the second and third place winners.
In any case, since everyone is going to play together on their first meeting, she should at least get to know the conductor and principal player briefly. But it's normal not to talk to them. They were both a bit tired and didn't have time to remind her to pay attention to the concerto. Anyway, even if they had reminded her, it would probably have been the same as the previous two.
Rehearsals began.
But soon, as top conductors and first-rate violinists, they discovered that Qu Jiaying was very good at cooperating with symphony orchestras and was very good at concertos.
The conductor and the principal are in a secret passage; no wonder they can be like eccentric musicians who don't communicate with each other. Qu Jiaying's abilities certainly qualify her for that.
She managed to complete the rehearsal three times in an hour and a half. Each time Qu Jiaying called a stop and she had to start over from the previous measure, it was different from the last time. She became more and more accustomed to the style and habits of this symphony orchestra.
The leader wasn't sure if the other members had noticed her learning ability, but at least they had all caught up and their attitudes were no longer as negative as in the first two sessions.
The conductor's perception was clearer because Qu Jiaying didn't just focus on the violin part. Sometimes she would call a stop because she had noticed problems in other parts, but she wouldn't explain; she would just glance at the conductor.
If it was just a problem with the violin part, she would adjust it herself, but she wouldn't overstep her bounds and interfere with the other parts. The conductor smiled helplessly and gestured to remind the part that had made a small mistake.
The conductor must admit that Qu Jiaying's keen sense must have come from extensive practice, and that she did more than just perform her role as a violinist; she also understood the full score.
If Ruan Qi used language to communicate and quickly integrate into the symphony orchestra, then Qu Jiaying directly conveyed her intentions through her piano skills.
Focusing on efficiency is commendable, but one must also possess sufficient ability to achieve both effectiveness and speed.
After Qu Jiaying finished rehearsing, she said goodbye to the conductor and principal before smiling and saying, "You guys are really amazing."
She didn't need much communication; she completely trusted that the National Symphony Orchestra would work perfectly with her from the very first meeting.
The conductor and the principal exchanged a glance and could only sigh, "These young musicians are really amazing."
Back to the final match, Qu Jiaying sat at the front, earnestly playing a piece by Bach.
Ruan Qi sat in the corner listening. Based on her understanding of Qu Jiaying, this type of music was no longer Qu Jiaying's forte, but that didn't mean she wasn't good at it.
Because there was little room for self-expression, Qu Jiaying's performance was limited, which ironically led her to play according to the performance norms of most people.
Her score should be higher than in the preliminary round.
Ruan Qi could hear the concerto and competition with the symphony orchestra very clearly. Qu Jiaying was much better than her. She smiled bitterly. Didn't she know this very well when she was an undergraduate?
She was just hoping that practicing with different symphony orchestras would allow her to improve rapidly, but Qu Jiaying was also growing.
Most importantly, even without a solo part, Qu Jiaying's presence is extremely strong. Her piano playing seems to command the orchestra, restrainedly performing a light and cheerful melody.
When Qu Jiaying finished her performance, Ruan Qi heard incredibly enthusiastic applause. She smiled faintly, thinking that the difference between herself and Qu Jiaying probably lay in this unique personal charm.
However, the scoring does not consider personal charisma, but rather whether the composer resembles the one from hundreds of years ago, while also possessing some unique interpretation characteristics.
This is very difficult to grasp; too much and it won't look right, too little and you won't stand out among many contestants.
The paradox is that from a business perspective, a more personal style is better.
After the competition, Qu Jiaying completely relaxed. She had done all she could, and the rest was beyond her control.
Qu Jiaying's parents, like her, were discussing whether they should go somewhere for a trip before returning home.
Le Yi, Yan Zheng, and Xiang Min, who were all worried for her, were helpless.
Teacher Xia Xiaolei was also very anxious. She immediately took Qu's mother to go for a walk in the nearby park, and Qu Jiaying and her group followed along.
The park was well-maintained, with complete facilities and lush vegetation. Different varieties of flowers were scattered along the paths. The temperature was pleasant, and the sunshine felt wonderful. However, apart from Qu Jiaying and her parents, no one noticed the beautiful scenery.
When Ms. Xia Xiaolei called Mr. Muller, he simply told her not to worry.
Le Yi, Yan Zheng, and Xiang Min analyzed for a long time but couldn't come up with anything. After all, they weren't judges. They kept talking about why Wang Zhou wasn't sticking to her anymore, whether he wasn't planning to sign a contract, and then they went further and wondered if his performance in the finals was unsatisfactory.
Qu Jiaying and her parents enjoyed the scenery for a while. When she heard them anxiously looking ahead, she felt helpless and turned around to take their hands on either side of her.
"Why are you all more anxious than I am?" Qu Jiaying sighed.
Xiang Min, who wasn't linked with anyone's arm, said irritably, "How dare you say that?"
"I don't think it's very useful. We'll only know what to do next after the results come out. Right now, I can't control what's going on," Qu Jiaying said.
Yan Zheng asked, "So what's your next step?"
“Actually, this result doesn’t affect anything. I’m still going to Curtis Institute of Music and the Queen Elizabeth International Music Competition, and I’m still going to strive to become a soloist,” Qu Jiaying said with a gentle smile. Then she asked, “What about you?”
Yan Zheng followed a similar path to Qu Jiaying, going to school and competing in competitions, striving to become a conductor. Xiang Min is currently composing for games, and it's hard to say whether he will change direction in the future, but he will continue to compose.
Le Yi was the most confused, but after this piano accompaniment journey, he found what he wanted to do most.
“I want playing the piano to be purely for enjoyment.” Le Yi looked at Qu Jiaying, the sunlight falling perfectly on her black hair, and said with a slight smile, “First of all, I want both adults and children who learn the piano to experience its joy. I plan to create some online courses to teach the piano like a game.”
Qu Jiaying laughed heartily.
Wang Zhou sent a message saying that the official awards had been announced.
First place (Gold Award): Qu Jiaying.
Qu Jiaying laughed loudly and ran towards her parents.
Grey magpies chirped and circled over the treetops.
Flowers, sunshine, family, teachers, and like-minded friends all surrounded this violinist who was about to go global.
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