Yuan Yu studied in Paris with Sophie Cherrier and in Munich with Andrea Lieberknecht and has won prizes at major international competitions (Krakow 2017, Kobe 2019: 1st prize; Prague 2019, Geneva 2023: 2nd prize). In 2018, he received the Discovery Award of the International Classical Music Awards (ICMA). Yuan was principal flutist of the Hong Kong Sinfonietta.

Hard to decide which concert exactly, however there were moments during the week when we played Beethoven’s “Eroica” with our chief conductor Joana Mallwitz. Apart from our famous flute solo passage, what really touched me, was the feeling of “Einheit” - moments where no matter what function or which instrument, all musicians on stage and even the audience were “one”: the reunion of completely different souls into one sound, one phrasing, one expression, one will power… what a tremendous joy! 

Bach's “Ciaconna”… how the piece lets a single instrument sound with such intensity, intelligence and beauty is an absolute wonder for me. I couldn't stop myself from listening to it again and again since a very young age. I then spent lots of time and emotions on working and playing it on my instrument, the traverse flute. You can find different versions of my interpretation of this piece on YouTube.

Gendarmenmarkt 2… of course ;).