Free Lecture | Pianist Lu Shen Unveils: Why Are Chopin’s 24 Preludes So "Misunderstood"?

Chopin composed his 24 Preludes in his twenties, when Paris stood as Europe’s cultural epicenter and the composer himself was one of the city’s most sought-after artists. Aristocrats queued to pay fortunes for his tutelage, and salon invitations flooded his desk—yet few truly grasped the fervor and melancholy that simmered beneath his poised exterior.  

These unspoken emotions, however, crystallized into piano works that transcend time. Even today, we commune through music with the Chopin who walked Parisian streets 180 years ago—his passions undimmed, his genius undiminished.  

Chopin’s 24 Preludes: A Masterclass in Nuance

Friday, August 13 | 10:30 AM | Mountain View Theatre

Pianist Lu Shen will unravel the paradoxes of Chopin’s most personal cycle—a work that distills his poetic sensibilities, technical mastery, intellectual breadth, and raw emotional duality into 45 fleeting minutes. How did the "Poet of the Piano" encode life’s bitter and sweet into these miniature masterpieces? Join us to discover.  

Lecturer: Lu Shen

- Piano Faculty, Xinghai Conservatory of Music

- Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA), Cleveland Institute of Music

- Gold Medalist, Hilton Head International Piano Competition

- Named among "China’s Ten Elite Pianists" (Huaxia Qin Ying)  

- Official Artist, Yangtze River Pianos