Career Highlights 亮点
Hu Kun’s extraordinary career as a solo violinist and now conductor has lead him to experience some incredible moments, from winning big prizes at major international competitions, to playing for world leaders and studying with some of the classical world’s most treasured and legendary musicians. Scroll down to discover some of Hu Kun’s career highlights…
Hu Kun is the first violinist from mainland China to win an international violin competition prize and become a national hero.
(See below - Sibelius Competition, Helsinki, Dec 1980)
Kun is the first mainland Chinese violinist to launch international solo career (since 1980)
This was confirmed by the Chinese Ministry of Culture - “Sensational Chinese Teenager Stunned the Helsinki Audiences”
— Beijing Evening Standard 18/12/80
Hu Kun has received the most international competition awards amongst all Chinese Violinists since 1980
Hu Kun won the
5th Prize at the Sibelius International Violin Competition in 1980 at the age of 17 and
was depicted by the Finish press as “The Dark Horse” during the competition
Jury: Josef Gingold, Valery Klimov, Igor Ozim, Arve Tellefson
Prize winners: Victoria Mullova, Sergey Stadler, Andres Cardenes, Oliveira Charlier
Present from a Finnish fan club (above)
5th Prize medal
Consequently, Hu Kun was awarded a
2nd Grade PLA military medal in March 1981 for winning the 5th Prize of the Sibelius Competition
Hu Kun became the protégé of Lord Yehudi Menuhin in 1985
He moved to London in Oct 1986 with a special visa, to officially become Lord Menuhin’s only private student.
Hu Kun is the first mainland Chinese violinist to win a first prize in an international violin competition
He was awarded the “Grand Lauréat de la Ville de Paris” title by Madame Chirac in 1985 after winning the 1st prize of the Menuhin International Violin Competition
Hu Kun won the 4th Prize and the TV/Radio “Jacques Stehman” Public Prize of the Queen Elisabeth Competition in 1985
Jurors: Henryk Szeryng, Yehudi Menuhin, Josef Gingold, Igor Oistrahk, Gidon Kremer, Ivry Gitlis
Hu Kun was invited back to Paris in 1988 to perform a private concert hosted by Madame Chirac at the Hôtel de Ville - her guests included Madame Pompidou
Concerto Concert with Orchestre de Chambre Lyonnais
Hu Kun was the first mainland Chinese musician to sign a lucrative exclusive recording contract with a major European label - Nimbus Records
United Kingdom, 01/03/1989
Hu Kun was appointed an Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of Music (Hon RAM) by
HRH The Duchess of Gloucester in 2002, alongside Sir Elton John and Sir Colin Davis
This is the highest award for a musician with 300 living members in the world
Sir Elton John
“Still a young man, Hu Kun is one of the world's greatest violin virtuosos, a legend in China and a living chapter of music history. He was the first person from mainland China to win a prize at the international violin competition, signalling in the west and indeed around the world that this ancient country possesses a huge reserve of musical talent which the Cultural Revolution did not destroy.
Born in Chengdu, Hu began studying the violin with his distinguished father HU Wei Min at the Sichuan Conservatory and later with Prof. Lin Yao Ji at the Central Conservatory in Beijing. Hu's exceptional talent was discovered by Yehudi Menuhin who became his guiding spirit and a close friend. In an astonishing short period and whilst still a teenager, Hu won prizes in the Sibelius Competition, the Queen Elisabeth Concours in Brussels, the Menuhin Young Violinists Competition and the First Zino Francescatti Competition. He has subsequently performed with many of the world's major orchestras including the Philharmonia, the Royal Philharmonic, the Hallé, the BBC, the Moscow States Symphony, the Leipzig Radio Orchestra.
He has made many recordings with EMI and Nimbus of music by Vivaldi, Bach, Sibelius, Khachaturian, Prokofiev, Barber and Bernstein.
Having been a successful and popular teacher at the Menuhin School for many years, HU Kun was appointed a professor of Violin at the Academy four years ago. He announced his arrival with astonishing feat by playing all 24 Paganini Caprices from memory, with repeats, in a single concert (wow...cheered the crowds!)
As an esteemed and much loved teacher at the Academy, HU Kun has developed one of the greatest studios in the world. In just the past two years, most of his pupils have won prizes in major international competitions, naturally there is a long waiting list to join his class. His genius as a teacher is the supreme of music talents and have done it all himself, the ability to instil similar profits in his own students. I have the pleasure in representing HU Kun for Honorary Membership of Royal Academy of Music."
— Citation from the Royal Academy of Music London (Narrated by BBC presenter John Suchet)
Hu Kun resumed his conducting under the private guidance of Sir Colin Davis in July 2003
and was gifted with a baton after his first lesson
First private lesson with Sir Colin Davis on Beethoven Symphony No.1
Highbury & Islington - London, UK
Hu Kun created his own orchestra “Hu Kun and Friends” in London in Feb 2005, which he launched at a gala concert at the Chinese Embassy, hosted by His Excellency the Chinese Ambassador
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