Malaysian pianist spreads jazz piano across China
Published on: Thursday, June 30, 2016
BEIJING: Renowned Malaysian pianist Datuk Mokhzani Ismail is taking his piano renditions across China and sharing his passion for jazz music with the Chinese. The Perlis-born musician and jazz pianist has made Malaysia proud after recording two achievements in the Malaysia Book of Records. He became the first musician appointed as international ambassador for Hagspiel, a German piano brand and also the first Malaysian to hold a solo piano performance at the Great Wall of China in 2015.
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Mokhzani didn't stop there...the music director at Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) kept the Malaysian flag flying high following the launch of his solo piano album titled "The Great Wall Comes Alive" by Hagspiel in Guangzhou on March 30, 2016 . As Hagspiel piano ambassador, Mokhzani has been given the opportunity to travel to several places in the country to introduce jazz piano through seminars as well as solo concerts. The appointment since July 2015 by Hagspiel, based in Shenzhen, also made him the first Malaysian pianist to be honoured with an international recognition. In a recent interview with Bernama, Mokhzani said since the piano brand was still new in China, Hagspiel decided to promote his solo album at all locations scheduled in conjunction with his further jazz recitals and piano seminars apart from promoting the piano at all music schools and universities.
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Asked on his next performance destination, he replied; "It will be in Shenzhen next month as well as in Shanghai in September". Mokhzani's wish in this big and full of potential Chinese market is to continue taking the beauty of jazz piano and music to greater heights throughout China.
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"I believe there are thousands of talented classical pianists who would like to pursue a career as a pianist or transform into a jazz pianist, but do not have any source/platform to do so," he said. Sharing his musical journey in China, Mokhzani said initially it had never occurred to him that an opportunity as such would arise following his piano performance during the "An Evening with Hagspiel" event held at Perdana Foundation in Putrajaya. "The journey to break through the market in China through concerts and seminars was a new challenge I undertook as it involved performing in front of an audience hailing from a nation known to produce world-renowned classical pianists," he said. Mokhzani is fortunate to be able to hold his solo concerts and jazz seminars in several cities in China including Luizhou, Tianjin, Guangzhou, Zhongsan and Beijing. His concert in Beijing was held at the famous China Conservatory of Music, the prominent Chinese music conservatory based in Beijing. Mokhzani also became one of the first ever musician to perform at one of the Seven Wonders of World, the Great Wall of China. His solo album containing a compilation of nine songs were presented either solo or in an ensemble at several selected locations such as the Great Wall, Beijing Conservatory, Luizhou and Tianjin Concert Hall since May 2015. It also comes with a digital video disk (DVD) recording of Mokhzani's solo piano performances of two songs namely P.Ramlee's "Getaran Jiwa" and the Mandarin song 'Ta Shuo' (She Says). Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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