Debra Li

debra_lidan@163.com

IF you were not quick enough to snap up a May 31 ticket to the first Beautiful Sunday free concert after the COVID-19 lockdown, Shenzhen Concert Hall now gives you a second chance. While the nearly 300 tickets for that concert were taken within five minutes — the 1,680-seat venue is arranged for audiences to sit apart in accordance with the social distancing requirements — the hall is bringing its live performance “Afternoon Music Time” series back this Saturday afternoon.

Performers at the first concert in this series — a public benefit program featuring performances by young talents and lectures by established musicians — have been chosen from outstanding entrants of an online “Family Concert” program initiated by Shenzhen Concert Hall during the lockdown. For that program, many music lovers submitted to the concert hall videos of themselves playing their instruments; among them quite a few creative and humorous performers distinguished themselves.

Zhao Muzi, 21, impressed many with his solo performance of piano four hands pieces. Drawn to study piano at the early age of 4, he was 8 when accepted into the Junior Music Program of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. Later he attended Shenzhen Middle School, and upon graduation began his studies in the United States. Zhao previously won first place prizes in the Kawai Asian Piano Competition and the Chopin International Piano Competition in Asia. Now a pupil of James Giles at the Northwestern Bienen School of Music, he won first place in the 2017 Emilio del Rosario Concerto Competition.

Saturday’s concert will also feature Chen Qiqi, a student from Shenzhen Arts School who won the heart of audiences with her skills on the zheng, a zither-like Chinese instrument. Chen was a first-prize winner in the junior group of the fifth Sizhu Cup Chinese instruments competition in 2016.

Two harpists, Wu Menghan and Wang Peiqin, who were described by online audiences as “harp fairies,” will grace the concert as well.

Those interested need to apply for tickets at the “深圳音乐厅” official WeChat account. Tickets will be given on a first-come-first-served basis. Audiences will need to present an e-ticket in the QR code form and their ID card at the entrance of the concert. Children under 6 will not be admitted.

Fans can also watch the live streaming of the concert on the official account of Shenzhen Concert Hall on Bilibili or enjoy a recast of the show under the title of Shenzhen Concert Hall on v.qq.com.

Time: 3 p.m., Saturday, June 6

Venue: Shenzhen Concert Hall, intersection of Hongli Road and Yitian Road, Futian District (福田区红荔路和益田路交汇处深圳音乐厅)

Metro: Line 3 or 4 to Children’s Palace Station (少年宫站), Exit D