For More Classic Music in the World
On March 17th 2018, Wu Muye signed with Sony Music Entertainment. The signing ceremony and press conference were held in the unique and historical Palace Museum of the Forbidden City, Beijing.
The choice of the place was a great echo to the theme of the ceremony: “ China meets the World”. In the exquise garden of the most famous Chinese ancient palace, Wu brought in audaciously the art of Western classical music by playing two pieces of piano – My Motherland (by Chinese composer Liu Zhi) and Liebestraum S541. In the excitement of audience, Wu Muye stated his ambition to bridge the two great cultures by the beauty of his music.
The signing ceremony was hosted by Wu Muye together with Mr. Zhou Jianhui, CEO of Sony Music Mainland China and Taiwan, and Ms. Yang Wen, Managing Director of Cosmic Bliss. Afterwards, Wu Muye has also announced the recording plan of his first world-wide album “Tribute to 190 years anniversary of Schubert’s death” and his world tour solo concerts plan.
At the press conference, the extraordinary experience of Wu Muye as an international pianist aroused intriguing questions from the guests and the media. After graduation from the National Conservatory of China in Beijing, Wu Muye moved, at age of 14, to Paris and joined the famous music establishment Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique. He then followed famous French Pianist Jacques Rouvier, a Liszt specialist and a master of French classical piano. Therefore, Wu inherits the quintessence of Liszt’s romantic piano techniques. Wu Muye cut a figure in Europe where he has studied for 15 years. In 2009, he was awarded “perfect Pianist” title, the highest honor in the piano circle in Paris. He has been invited to participate in various highly ranked music festivals in Europe.
After coming back to China, he was invited to perform in many important international events such as CICA (Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia) and G20 in Hangzhou. In 2017, Wu Muye was listed in the “recruitment program of global experts”, a project for introducing overseas top talents to China. In the same year, invited by the General Secretary of the World Health Organization (WHO), he was the first musician to play solo at WHO headquarters. In this Lunar New Year’s Eve, Wu Muye had his first performance in CCTV Spring Festival Gala- the most viewed TV show for Chinese New Year, and the “New Silk Road” he played conquered all Chinese around the world. He is also named by Sanya Government in Hainan Province as the “ Ambassador of Sanya’s international Cultural Communication.”
Although Wu Muye has made great achievements, he still keeps modest and frank, and he pays great attention to his music career. He devotes himself to what he loves and hopes to share his passion to the world.
When it came to the reason for choosing Sony Music Entertainment, Wu Muye said that the most important thing was the consonance in music philosophy. Wu hopes that more people could enjoy his music and appreciate classical piano playing from Chinese artists. He intends to “bring music to the world”, attract more young people to enjoy classical music, and set off “fashion of new classical music”. And his vision just coincides with Sony Music’s philosophy – “let music enlighten the world”.
Sony Music Entertainment, as one of the three biggest record companies in the world with long history, has numerous world-class musicians like Yo-Yo Ma, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Joshua Bell, film soundtracks master John Williams, and some classical jazz masters like Miles Davis and Billie Holiday. It has classical labels, such as Sony Classical and RCA with over a hundred years’ history, and music collection of numerous piano masters like Gould; in the field of pop music, Sony Music has also signed with many international superstars including Celine Dion, Alan Walker, Beyoncé, and Mariah Carey, etc. Sony Music Entertainment has always been engaging in international communication of music and art, introducing excellent pop music to China and actively promoting Chinese music to world stage.
Special guests have also attended the ceremony. As the representative of all Sony Music’s artists, Peng Jiahui, the Best Mandarin Female Singer Award winner at the 27th Golden Melody Awards and also a musician of Sony Music, put her glow stick up for Wu Muye and welcomed him. Peng also gave Wu a crystal fish as a gift, wishing him all the best and flourish in Sony Music as the Chinese proverb said: “like a fish swimming freely in water”. Young Chinese Actor Wang Jia, who is also the colleagues of Wu Muye as World Health Organization China Special Envoy for Health has offered a special handmade globe in wood, implying that the music of “ Perfect Pianist” would spread all over the world.
Wu Muye will soon start his world tour that will include stops at Beijing, New York, London, Paris, and Tokyo, etc. He will open a new chapter in the history of romantic classical music linking China and the world together with the support of Sony Music.