Yuja Wang’s performance strikes a potent balance between the cerebral and the visceral. The 36-year-old Chinese pianist, widely acclaimed as one of her generation’s most gifted artists, is celebrated for her virtuosic piano artistry that effortlessly spans a vast spectrum—from keyboard-sweeping glissandos in Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos to emotional soundtracks of Hollywood blockbusters.
Beyond her exceptional piano artistry, she’s equally acclaimed for her distinctive sartorial choices and electrifying stage presence. She brilliantly demonstrated these facets during a recently sold-out performance at Milan’s Teatro alla Scala, where she interpreted Olivier Messiaen’s Turangalîla Symphony with masterful precision.
Clad in a shimmering orange satin gown she co-designed with a friend and elegantly sporting 5-inch Louboutins, she seamlessly blended ethereal grace with emphatic power, leaving the audience in awe of her fleet-fingered mastery and expressive depth. As the final note rang out, she gracefully concluded her performance with her signature bow, which she repeated multiple times in response to an extended standing ovation.
The piano virtuoso rejects the influence of age, gender, race, or luck on her extraordinary success. “It’s all hard work. You just have to show up.” The next milestone for her? “To play a leading role in a feature film or Netflix series.”
Classical music training involves a lot of time, practice, and effort. What has been your biggest motivation?
It’s probably just the music itself. Travelling around may seem glamorous, but the reality is that we spend most of our time in practice rooms, often in basements. There’s a lot of discipline, patience, and hard work. If I don’t achieve my vision during practice, I keep working on it without paying attention to how long I’ve been practising.
What has been the highlight of your career so far?
My motto is “The best concert is always the next one,” so I’ll keep it that way. Of course, there have been memorable ones, like my first concert with Abbado. It was then that he chose me to open the Lucerne Festival Orchestra. I was only 22 years old, and he usually plays with much older people like Fellini! Then I signed with Rolex, which was fun. I still cherish that moment, despite it being 10 years ago. It’s something I’ll share with my grandkids one day.
What do you find most rewarding about being a Rolex Testimonee?
I was so honoured to be chosen. Rolex has always been so supportive of the arts. I was so lucky to be presented with that opportunity 14 years ago, and to be the youngest Rolex Testimonee at that time. However, beyond supporting the artistic community, watches, perfection, precision, passion and all this stuff we talk about, what resonates most is the shared commitment to making the world a better place.
We live in an age of instant gratification. How does classical music fit into the lives of those accustomed to quick entertainment?
I don’t have an answer for that because I’m facing the same issue! I grew up without any of that. I didn’t have a cell phone until I was a teenager. The things I learned when I was young stayed with me longer since I had time to internalise them and I didn’t have distractions. In a flow state, you learn the pieces much more deeply. Every day, I try to get back to that state. For at least two hours, I’ll turn off my phone. However, instant gratification can also result in quick reflexes, enabling you to do things quickly. The next generation will be all about AI, and they will learn these pieces quickly. I marvel at the efficiency of young people. I want that, too!
Zubin Mehta was supposed to conduct your performance, but Simone Young replaced him. Does it matter whether the conductor is male or female?
Not at all. Many people ask me, “How does it feel to be a female pianist?” I feel like a human. Being born in China, I didn’t even think about how things would be different if I were a boy. When I was young, I played football, and my mum said, “She could be a man or woman. I don’t care.” That helped me develop perseverance and patience. Simone was amazing. She’d just conducted the same piece at the Berlin Philharmonic, so she knew it well. I was very fortunate to have her conduct it, as she is centred and authoritative. Despite my love for Zubin Mehta, Simone did a great job of conducting this piece.
You have a distinctive sense of style. Do you perform better when you dress glamorously?
It makes a difference, in my opinion. There is a significant visual difference between attending a concert and listening to it online. It becomes part of the experience. During my last performance in Paris, I wore a Dior Couture dress and felt like a princess. I was playing Ravel, which is supposed to be light and French. My performance had a different vibe, thanks to the dress. Recently, I collaborated with David Hockney, wearing shorts and those Onitsuka Tiger streetfighter shoes. On some occasions, I’ve also worn Karl Lagerfeld gloves while playing chamber music to give it a cool look. It’s about expressing myself and creating a ready-to-perform vibe that’s comfortable, creative, and familiar.
Collaboration is integral to the music world. Are there any memorable collaborations that have significantly impacted your career?
It was cool to collaborate with David Hockney recently. Steinway & Sons has invited me to celebrate the unveiling of its limited-edition pianos designed by French interior and product designer Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance. I’ll be wearing three dresses to match the colours of the three pianos, and apparently, I’ll also have to do a catwalk!
It’s always fun to work with musicians. Even when playing with an orchestra, pianists always play solo. You always feel like an outsider. That’s why I chose to do chamber music at Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. Music became a conversation among friends.
What advice would you give to young musicians striving for excellence?
Do not let your ego get in the way. It isn’t about you; if you love music deeply, what you do is for music’s sake. A musician makes significant sacrifices to pursue his or her career. We work tirelessly on this journey in many ways and having a personal life can also be challenging. Everyone has a calling. As a result of the effort you invest, the legacy you leave behind becomes timeless, enduring and impressive. However, even though it’s all about you, it’s not about you.
