Mi Hou

“Classical music is distant, holy, mysterious, and intimate to our generation. Through their music, composers paint a picture of the society and times in which they lived. I can experience the greatness and achievements of another generation through its music. Their music can help inspire many young generations nowadays, like me.” Mi Hou’s exposure to music began before he was born; his mother plays many instruments, including piano, accordion, and guzheng. He was drawn to the piano in his home naturally and started lessons at the age of 4 in his native Yangzhong. When he was only 7, his talent and interest were so strong that he started down the path toward being a professional musician and finding a professional teacher. He studied with Chuan Qin from 2017 to 2018 in Shandong. His clear educational goals and higher artistic pursuits meant regularly taking 10-hour train trips to Beijing, winning several competitions in China, practicing or studying for eight hours per day, and eventually moving to the capital city over the following years. He began studies with Jin Zhang 4 years ago and was admitted to the Central Conservatory of Music Middle School in 2020. Of his teacher, Mi says: “he told me that artistry is about getting to the essence of the music to such an extent that the performance takes the audience beyond itself, transcending the everyday and transporting them to another place where they can dream or imagine.” Among his hobbies, he lists listening to music, watching movies, reading history books, traveling, and playing video games, board games, Lego, and golf.