Located about 300 kilometres north of Tokyo, Sendai is known in Japan as "mori no miyako" or the City of Trees.

Yet this summer, a young Chinese pianist named Tan Xiaotang has definitely earned more attention than the lush greenery in the city.

In the Second Sendai International Music Competition, which ended on June 18, 25-year-old Tan claimed the trophy from among 36 talented pianists from 16 countries.

The contest featured concerto performances, which challenged not only the contestants' technical skills, but also their co-operative spirit and ability to improvise.

Tan accepted all these challenges and stood tall amid the contestants with his exquisite technical skills and in-depth understanding of music. The judges voted him the first prize winner after he hit the breath-taking notes of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No 1 in B flat minor in the final round.

"Tan surpassed other contestants by his extraordinary comprehension of the soul of each musical work," said Yang Jun, Tan's tutor from his days at the Central Conservatory of Music in China. "His performance is touching. Many people listened with tears in their eyes."

But the quiet young man didn't even think of winning before the contest.

"What I pondered then was just how to play every work in the best way," said Tan smiling.

In a grey T-shirt with cartoon characters on it paired with beige cotton pants and black sandals, Tan looks like any other college student in China. But when he sits down and places his graceful fingers on the piano keys, his serious expression convinces everyone that he and the instrument are one.

Born into a workers' family in Beijing, Tan showed off his musical talent at an early age.

"Xiaotang began to imitate songs on the radio at the age of 1," said Tan Qiutang, the pianist's father, a worker in a steel company. "He even made gestures like a conductor."

Finding his son's musical talent, the father was overjoyed. As a piano lover himself, he lost the chance to pursue his own dream in the 1960s.

"I expect to see my dream realized in Xiaotang," said the father.

But the piano prodigy's musical journey was not an easy path.

Tan's first piano was a "Xinghai" priced 1,450 yuan (US$171) in 1983, when his father's salary was only 30 yuan (US$3.5) per month.

The piano, like the other four later bought as his skills grew, was purchased with money borrowed here and there. As a result, the family is still in heavy debt.

Economic predicament, though, was not the only hardship the family had to endure.

When 15-year-old Tan began his studies at the high school attached to the Central Conservatory of Music, his left hand was injured accidentally by a knife.

For the first time ever, the family took a taxi and rushed to the hospital.

Tan spent half a year without playing the piano. A functional obstruction appeared and Tan's fingers lost their ingenuity.

Nobody, not even the doctor, could tell whether he could continue playing piano.

But the faith in the piano and in himself helped him pass the gloomy days.

"It was a tough time," he said. "My father nearly had a relapse of hypertension. But I was not in despair, for I believed I would play the piano again," said the young man.

He was proved right.

Four years later, with the highest exam score in his examination group, he entered the Central Conservatory of Music, China's best conservatory. There he met his future tutor, Yang Jun, who greatly influenced on his interpretation of musical works.

"At first I couldn't even tolerate his performance," raved Yang. "He was too clear-headed to possess dexterity and sensitivity."

But also thanks to his smartness, Tan realized his disadvantages soon and made changes.

About a year later, his performance became poetic.

When he took part in the Sendai contest, his excellence was striking.

"Tan is a rare combination of a true musician and a mature contestant," remarked Edward Auer, one of the adjudicators of the Sendai contest.

The young musician is humble towards the high praise.

Now pursuing studying at Saabrucken University of Music in Germany, Tan said he still has a long way to go.

"I don't think the Sendai award will bring many changes. My aim is still to listen more, practise more and learn more."

Compared to other prize winners, Tan is much less frequently shown in the spotlight, although he has won many national contests before the Sendai award.

"To me, fame does not seem that tempting. Publicity does bring pianists more opportunities, but it is temporary. What never stops is the pursuit of a better performance."

(China Daily July 3, 2004)