June 19, 2024, must be an unforgettable day for German pianist Oskar.
In the concert hall of Shanghai Oriental Art Center, there is a beam of light and a piano. Oskar, wearing a simple gray suit and white shirt, is sitting in front of the piano. The warm yellow light gently wraps him. At this time, all the audience's Breathing and emotions were affected by the flowing sound of the piano. No one spoke. After the song was played, thunderous applause erupted from the audience.
This is Oskar's first tour in China, and he made his first stop in Shanghai, where he has lived for almost ten years.
Oskar Roman Jezior was born in Warsaw in 1985, grew up in Bremen, Germany, and graduated from the Juilliard School of Music in the United States. He is a pianist, violinist, composer and film producer. He has received the highest national scholarship awarded by the German Academic Exchange Service. In 2013, he was invited to give a piano solo concert for the Polish President and his wife at their residence in Warsaw.
However, I got to know him because of a video that went viral on Chinese social media. In the video, Oskar plays his own arrangement of JJ Lin's song "She Said". "It sounds so good!" "Goosebumps are rising" "Tears, I really want to cry" "He knows Chinese, he understands the lyrics" "It really makes me believe that music has no borders"... Countless netizens were surprised and surprised Comments of admiration flew across the screen. The video has been viewed 1.07 million times, and this is not oskar’s most impressive work. In 2021, he adapted "All I Think of is the Galaxy" sung by the Chinese singer "Landlord's Cat" into a piano piece. The video has been viewed up to 5.43 million times, expressing love, longing, encouragement, blessings... densely packed barrages filled it up like musical notes. the entire screen.
In 2014, Oskar, who had already made his mark in the European classical music circle, decided to come to Shanghai to start his journey of Eastern music. Unlike traditional musicians, he did not choose the golden concert hall or the much-anticipated big stage. Instead, he recorded music creation videos one by one in his apartment with a piano. Oskar is good at adapting Chinese pop songs into piano music. Under his reinterpretation, these songs are refreshing and have allowed countless young netizens to re-recognize the unique charm of piano playing. From 2020 to now, with nearly 300 videos, this man who can only play the piano has attracted 1.76 million fans on China's well-known video creation platform, and is nicknamed "Uncle O" by Chinese netizens.
is used to the spotlight on the stage. When facing the interview camera, Oskar still seems a little shy. He smiled and said that he rarely gives interviews because he hopes the public will pay more attention to his music. This is the language he is best at -
in music. , heart to heart are so close.
German pianist Oskar has millions of fans on Chinese social media. How did he choose to come to Shanghai to start his musical journey? Walk around Wuyuan Road in Xuhui District with Oskar and listen to his story. Wang Yu/Interview, Lu Yue/Photography (08:19)
ip shanghai: Can you briefly introduce yourself? What brought you to Shanghai?
oskar: The story of is a bit complicated. In 2010, I moved to New York to pursue an MFA in Piano Performance at The Juilliard School. During that time, I made many pianist friends, and one of them decided to open a music school in Shanghai and asked me if I would be interested in joining. So in early 2014, I moved to Shanghai.
Another reason was that I longed to live in a different environment and culture and was a bit bored with the life of a classical pianist at the time. The world of classical music has many rules and so many shoulds and shouldn’ts, which I feel limits creativity. In other words, I couldn't really become the artist I wanted to be because there were so many rules that I had to follow. So when the opportunity came up to become a teacher, I was very excited. I hadn't really taught children before that, but to my surprise, I found that I really enjoyed being around them.
German pianist oskar Lu Yue, who has millions of fans on Chinese social media, picture
ip shanghai: Is leaving the classical music world a big decision for you? When you decide to embark on a journey to the East to China, do you know what you are looking for?
oskar: It sounds like a big and difficult decision, but at that moment, it was the right choice for me. Of course my parents were quite sad about this because they had invested a lot of time and money in my classical piano education and I chose to leave Germany. And frankly, when I decided to move to China at the age of 28, I didn’t have a clear idea of what I was looking for here. I just knew I didn’t want to be a full-time classical musician, I wanted to live in a completely different place that was exciting and new, doing something different.
I have never regretted my decision because it turned out to be the right choice. I haven't given up on classical music either, because everything I do reflects my classical training, and even when I'm playing pop music, it's obvious that I'm approaching it in a classical musician's way. , which is why listeners find my music interesting.
Feeling a little tired of the life of a classical pianist, Oskar is eager to gain creative inspiration in different environments and cultures. Lu Yue Picture
ip shanghai: When you come to a strange country, not only are many people unfamiliar with you, but the public’s perception and acceptance of classical music are also completely different. Have you ever considered or worried about this? Is there any way to help yourself quickly integrate into life in a foreign country?
oskar: In the initial stage, I will also miss my hometown and friends. But as a musician, I find it easy to integrate into foreign life because there are many people here who like classical music, and there are more piano players in China than anywhere in the world, and almost everyone does it at some stage in their growing up process. Got exposed to the piano. So as soon as I arrived, I received a warm welcome.
Another very important factor may be that I have a multicultural background. I was born in Poland to Polish parents, but grew up in Germany. To be honest, I never really felt like I belonged anywhere because even though I grew up in Germany, I sometimes felt like I wasn't very "German" but I also felt like a foreigner when I went back to Poland to visit family. Man, because I spent very little time in Poland. So I got used to not belonging, to being a foreigner in a certain way. Such a multicultural background has its pros and cons. The good thing is that it makes it easier for me to get used to living in a new place and I am happy to experience different cultures and customs. To be honest, Shanghai is my favorite city now. I have met many friends here and Shanghai has become my destination.
oskar once went to the rooftop of the Cadillac Shanghai Concert Hall to perform his own arrangement of Jay Chou's song "Sunny Day". Cadillac Shanghai Concert Hall "On Stage" video series screenshots
ip shanghai: What gave you the idea of adapting Chinese pop songs into piano music?
oskar: In 2018, I left China and returned to Germany to try different artistic activities, but the result was not happy. During that time, I missed China and my friends here very much. I even browsed some videos about the streets of Shanghai on YouTube because I missed the place where I lived before. Since I couldn't go back to China, I came up with the idea of arranging Chinese songs into piano pieces and healing myself by playing those pieces.
Life in Shanghai is unforgettable for Oskar. Video screenshot
ip shanghai: What was the first Chinese song that left a deep impression on you?
oskar: The first song that impressed me deeply in was "One Night in Beijing". I was going to KTV with my Chinese colleagues, and a colleague who is usually very shy and serious sang this song. He sang so well that I was blown away. This was one of the first Chinese songs I adapted into a piano piece.I loved how it combined rock and opera, and I tried to recreate that style on the piano, but in reality it was impossible. Nonetheless, I tried my best and really enjoyed the process, which also made me realize that I should try to play more Chinese pop songs.
On June 19, 2024, Oskar held its first tour in China at the Concert Hall of Shanghai Oriental Art Center. Lu Yue Picture
ip shanghai: What kind of charm do Chinese pop songs have for you? Who are your favorite Chinese singers?
oskar: I adapt mainly Chinese pop songs, not Western pop songs. This is not because I don’t like Western pop music, I like it equally. But in terms of music itself, Chinese pop songs are more suitable to be adapted into piano music. First, the melodies of Chinese pop songs are more beautiful and complex, with many rich harmonies. Secondly, Chinese pop songs like to use classical instruments, while Western pop music usually relies on drum beats and rhythms, but it is difficult for the piano to imitate the sound of percussion.
Among my favorite Chinese singers, Jay Chou and JJ Lin are definitely at the top. I think they’re both really good songwriters. You can clearly hear in their music that they all have professional music backgrounds, and you can feel that they all like piano very much and often use it in their works. Their compositions are also very complex, using a lot of complex harmonies, and trying to recreate all of these layers with ten fingers is a big challenge, but it's also a challenge that I find very interesting.
Oskar spends most of his time at home practicing piano and recording music videos. Video screenshot
ip shanghai: I like your adaptation and interpretation very much. Some netizens even commented that some popular songs have become more advanced after you adapted them into piano music. Some netizens said that you are not just playing, but using The piano sings, showing a unique flavor. I would like to know what magical "music magic" you have, can you share your creative secrets?
oskar: The praise for sounds great, but I don’t entirely agree. Because if the original song itself is not good, it will be difficult for me to make a good arrangement. I believe the magic lies in having to stay true to the original and then add your own unique touch. What I usually do is to first dismantle and analyze all layers of the entire song, including the main melody, guitar, piano and all instrumental parts. I also try to write down the rhythm of the percussion instruments. Then, try to see if you can play all those parts at the same time with all ten fingers. Normally, that’s not possible (laughs). So I had to decide what to keep and what not, but try to keep the song as authentic as possible. When I'm very familiar with a song, I'll also improvise a little and try to incorporate my own creativity to see if I can do some different melodic emanations.
oskar The secret to adapting is that you have to stay true to the original and then add your own unique touch. Lu Yue Picture
ip shanghai: In addition to pop songs, I also saw that you also shared videos of playing classical music on social media. What message do you want to convey to the audience?
oskar: From time to time I upload some classical music videos to my channel because I want to show that I am indeed a classically trained musician. That’s the foundation of my music, that means the most to me, and that’s what I try to incorporate in my arrangements.
ip shanghai: Many Chinese fans call you "Uncle O". Do you like this name? With more than one million fans on Chinese social media, what do you think of the identity of "Uncle O"?
oskar: I remember that the nickname "Uncle O" appeared very early, probably a few months after I uploaded the video. At first, I thought, do I really look that old? But then some Chinese friends explained to me that it didn't mean I looked old, it was just a term of endearment. So I love it, it sounds really cute.
Actually, I don't consider myself an Internet celebrity.Because the content of all the videos is not about me personally, but more about the music, the works I arranged and performed. So I try to hide my face and not expose myself too much to the camera. This has worked so far because no one recognizes me on the street (laughs).
With nearly 300 videos, oskar has attracted 1.76 million fans on China's well-known video creation platform and is nicknamed "Uncle O" by Chinese netizens.
ip shanghai: In the online world, are you worried about being labeled with various labels?
oskar: I'm not afraid of being labeled by others. There will always be people who don't like what I do, but I can't worry too much about it. In the world of the Internet, anyone can say what they like. So I think the most important thing is, no matter what, as long as you are happy with yourself and not ashamed of what you have done. Whether it’s a pop song or a movie episode, I take it as seriously as a piece of classical music.
After the premiere in Shanghai, Oskar will also go to Shenzhen, Chongqing, Changsha, Wuhan, Nanjing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Hangzhou, and Tianjin. For specific information, please pay attention to the oUncleB station updates. Lu Yue Picture
ip shanghai: More and more Chinese netizens know you, and your work is getting busier and busier. Is this a kind of pressure or a kind of happiness?
oskar: Being a fan will not bring pressure to me, because my fans mainly focus on my arrangement and performance, which is what I want them to focus on. I've never received a private message asking about my personal life, so I don't feel pressured at all. I can still live a very private life and be myself.
oskar has more and more Chinese fans as they get older Lu Yue Picture
ip shanghai: What made you choose to settle in Shanghai? Is there anything about Shanghai that attracts you?
oskar: I have been to many cities in China and I like every place very much. But I really enjoy living in Shanghai because it is a very international city and the people here are very open and tolerant of all kinds of things and cultures.
Although the languages are different and the countries are different, the love for music can be the same. Lu Yue Picture
ip shanghai: Not long ago, you and "Peng Peng Peng Peng Peng" gave a very exciting performance on the streets of Shanghai. The piano and guzheng collided, which was very interesting. Do you like this kind of cooperation? Do you want to keep trying next?
oskar: It is very exciting to play with Peng Peng, she is an excellent player. The piano is a Western instrument. When combined with the guzheng, a very Chinese instrument, it can produce such a beautiful sound. I didn't expect it to be so in tune. It sounds really cool. I hope to have more such collaborations in the future, because the life of a pianist is lonely, usually practicing alone and performing alone. I like the feeling of performing with other people and hope to have more opportunities in the future.
oskar and "Peng Peng Peng Peng Peng" gave a wonderful performance of piano and guzheng ensemble on the streets of Shanghai. Video screenshot
ip shanghai: Do you have any advice for piano learners and young musicians?
oskar: I have endless advice for piano learners and young musicians. But I think the most important piece of advice is not to worry too much about playing mistakes, but to put more emotion into your playing, because what the audience really cares about is whether you can touch their hearts, so this is more important than playing flawlessly. Much more important.
Whether music can touch the soul is the most important thing. Lu Yue Picture
ip shanghai: There is a video online of you playing your first original composition "To Your Parents" when you were 8 years old. If you could take a time machine and go back to when you were 8 years old, what would you say to yourself?
oskar: Yes, when I was 8 years old, I wrote my first original piano piece, named "To My Parents" because I was inspired by Beethoven's famous piano piece "Für Elise".However, growing up, I had a lot of arguments with my parents and I didn't realize how amazing they were and how good they were to me. So if I could go back in time and talk to my 8-year-old self, I think I would tell him: You don’t know how lucky you are to have such great parents, so be grateful.
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