Liwei Qin is flattered by comparisons to Yo-Yo Ma, but he is under no illusions, knowing that he has a long way to go before reaching Ma's level of virtuosity. The cellist, who spent time in business school and credits that with broadening his view of life and music, is enjoying a busy touring schedule.

Until he is seated and straddling his cello, one might be for-given for mistaking Liwei Qin for a software engineer.

But once his bow begins to dance across the f-holes, all doubts disappear.

The cellist, who played at the 10-day Shanghai Spring International Music Festival, which closed on May 21, and released his first album on the Chinese mainland, was given the nod by New York Times music critic Alan Kozinn, who wrote: "Mr. Qin has a great deal going for him, including a meltingly beautiful tone, flawlessly centered intonation and an ironclad technique. He is also an imaginative player when the music is sufficiently fresh and assertive." Kozinn kudos followed the 26-year-old's recital at Lincoln Center in February.

The most noted cellist of Chinese origin after Yo-Yo Ma and Jian Wang, Shanghai-born Qin began studying piano at 4 before turning to cello at 7. At the age of 13, he moved to Australia with his musician parents. His adopted country has embraced him wholeheartedly, with the government giving him a 9-million-yuan (US$1.08million) Filius Andreas Guarneri cello, produced in Italy in 1720, in honor of his achievement. He performs throughout the world, giving concerts in Australia, America, Europe and China.

Yet music was not his major at the University of Melbourne. “Music is the perpetual love of my life, but it is definitely not the only thing in my life,” says Qin. "I need to expand my vision as far as possible and reach different people instead of focusing only on those in the music circle."

Music, he explains, is like a language. “Being able to use correct grammar and spelling may be relatively simple, but only with know-ledge can one avoid giving boring speeches. You must become worldly to deliver meaningful and touching 'speeches’ of music. “When he failed to enter medical school, in entered business school, majoring in finance management. There, he "met a variety of personalities who were completely different from the artists with whom I was all too familiar,” he says.

But music interrupted his studies: During Qin's third year, Ralph Kirshbaum, professor of the Royal Northern College of Music, invited the young musician to London to study under him. Qin deferred his final year to study with Kirshbaum, but when he became professor of cello at the college at 25 – the youngest professor in its history – the deferment became permanent.

"My students are only four to five years younger than me, but that's actually an advantage. We are peers, so I understand exactly what they are vexed or confused with,” says Qin. "As I'm just a few steps ahead of them on the same road, I am actually teaching them the practical things – things that can't be found in any textbook."

While Qin never returned to his business study, he took from his time in the non-music world a certain open-mindedness and an easy-going and sanguine personality, which he thinks wins him extra favor from competition judges.

For a cellist of Chinese origin, comparisons with Yo-Yo Ma are inevitable. In 1998, when Qin won the Silver Medal at the 11th Tchaikovsky International Competition, a jury member called him "the second Yo-Yo Ma."

Qin is obviously flattered by the comparison, and says that he has discussed it with Ma. "We share the view that an impressive cellist should break the barrier with volume and self-centered passion,” says Qin. "If there is any similarity between us, that’s the one. “Then humility over-comes him. “I’m a long way from being a star like Yo-Yo,” he adds, “I’m not ready. I have so much to learn still."

But he does have promise, and that promise is now being tapped. After watching him for five years, IMG, one of the world's top three creative artist management agencies, offered him a contract in 2000. The company books about 60 concerts around the globe for Qin annually, but has yet to plumb the China market.

"The Chinese mainland is a different case,” says Qin diplomatically. “A musician here has to do a lot of things other than perform. "My new album,” he says, "is different from all the others I have done overseas, which are serious classics. This one is a melange of classical, popular and even jazz. It's only an attempt, albeit an interesting one."

Indeed, Qin confesses that he loves trying new things in different regions. His passion for variety in life is leading him to try on the role of an agent, bringing the musical "West Side Story" to the city next year.

It seems that the sky is the limit for this young cellist.

(eastday.com June 13, 2002)