Blisters on his fingers

    Despite only having studied with Zhao for eight months, the 8-year-old Zhang was admitted to the Central Conservatory of Music percussion program, which according to his parents is a musical success built on tremendous sacrifice.

    "While other children were still in bed, Zimo was already up practicing marimba, and if he played one wrong note, his mother would make him play it until he got it right," said Zhang Guo, Zimo's father.

    As marimba is played standing up, it is routine for Zhang to be on his feet practicing seven or eight hours a day. Because he also often plays with four mallets at a time (an advanced technique involving two mallets in one hand), his hands are often sore, cut and calloused.

    "But as long as I focus, I don't feel the pain," Zhang admitted.

    And that focus is how Zhang is able to channel his emotion through his music.

    "My greatest joy is if I feel something and then communicate that to my listeners."

    According to Zhao, what sets Zhang apart from his peers is his stage presence. Honing his performing skills in the hotel lobby his father works while donning an off-white tuxedo, Zhang would come alive as notes jump from his marimba.

    "Everyone watching is blown away and always ask for an encore," he added.

    Zhang's enthusiasm and talent continues to develop under the instruction of Greg Giannascoli, a professor of marimba at the Juilliard School.

    Despite the language barrier, Giannascoli is already impressed with his student's progress, apparent during their first duet performance of Akira Miyoshi's Etude Concertante at the school on December 12.

    "It is a very difficult duet, which has many rhythmically complex sections that are hard enough to work out when both players speak the same language," Giannascoli told the Global Times.

    "But it was really touching that we were able to successfully put together such a wonderful and difficult piece of music even though we could not verbally communicate to fix things," he said.

    Beijing, New York

    Studying at Julliard has inspired a new musical awareness in Zhang, opening his ears to the differences in training between the US and China.

    "I want to stress to Chinese music students how important cooperation and listening is in playing. In China, students often play solo in class, where one has more freedom of expression; but in the U.S., students also often play in ensembles where anyone who is not listening to the whole can be picked out immediately."

    As for his musical goals, Zhang is setting his sights high at the top of the classical percussion world.

    "I want to play in the New York Philharmonic, one of the most famous ensembles in the world as principal percussionist, something no Chinese has ever done."

    (Source:Globaltimes.cn)