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《菩提臺》

 

BODHI STAND

以琴音供養諸佛
Offering Piano Music to the Buddhas
--介紹陳毓襄居士
--Introducing Upasika Gwhyneth Chen

謝惠瑛 文 by Hsieh Hui Yin
英譯由金輪寺提供 English Translation provided by Gold Wheel Monastery

鋼琴家陳毓襄女士,生於台北,自小學琴,即展現其過人的天賦和才華,被視為樂壇之神童。十歲來美深造,師承鋼琴大師Robert Turner及Aube Tzerko,虛心就教,琴藝益臻純熟。十五歲前後,即榮獲全美鋼琴比賽少年組和青年組冠軍,當時她越齡參賽,詮釋艱難曲目,卻輕鬆自如,毫不費力。其琴藝之精湛,令評審們為之驚嘆與折服。她的老師Robert Turner亦如此形容她:「陳毓襄可以把非常難的曲子彈得非常容易。」足見其彈琴技巧完美,無懈可擊了。

高中畢業後,陳毓襄以全額獎金進入了紐約茱麗亞學院深造,在學期間曾參加多項國際音樂大賽,皆連連獲獎,備受國際樂壇矚目。1993年,她年方23,以最年輕之參賽者,參加首屆波哥雷利奇鋼琴大賽,當時角逐者眾,且不乏是音樂界知名人士,連續三周之激烈賽程,陳毓襄憑其卓越之演奏技巧,及天才般之樂曲詮釋力,終於脫穎而出,獲得首獎。現場觀眾掌聲雷動,久久不已,令人為之動容。評審們認為她的音樂深具人性,完全自心中流出,故能感人肺腑。連此項大賽之主辦人-知名鋼琴家波哥雷利奇,亦推崇陳毓襄,是他此生中所聽過的演奏中,唯一的鋼琴家。此乃何等之殊榮!其琴技出神入化,已達爐火純青之境,令人不可思議!

陳毓襄自11歲起,即公開演奏,展現其音樂才華,屢獲鋼琴比賽冠軍,驚動國際樂壇,音樂一路伴著她成長。如今她已名成利就,揚名國際,成為一代傑出女鋼琴家,且應邀至世界各地,巡迴演奏。但她依然清純如昔,謙和待人,毫無驕氣,她認為學佛對她助益甚大。1993年陳毓襄勇奪世界鋼琴大賽冠軍後,即皈依萬佛聖城 宣化上人,經年茹素,潛心學佛,成為虔誠之佛教徒。由於深受佛法之熏習,陳毓襄的音樂流露自性,如行雲流水般,引人入勝,聞者莫不有「人間難得幾回聞」之嘆!此次她發大願心,將於法界聖城舉辦鋼琴演奏會,為萬佛聖城妙覺寶殿籌募建寺基金。即使 上人已圓寂多年,然陳毓襄飲水思源,不敢一日或忘 上人教化之恩。今將以其音樂才華,完成 上人之遺願,因緣殊勝難得!懇請十方大德共襄盛舉,參與盛會,祈盼鋼琴演奏會圓滿而成功。


Pianist Gwhyneth Chen, born in Taipei, Taiwan, began to study piano at an early age. She manifested remarkable talent and was regarded as a child prodigy in music. At the age of ten, she came to the United States to pursue advanced studies under two great piano masters, Robert Turner and Aube Tzerko. Being modest and receptive to advice, she gradually became even more proficient. At around the age of fifteen, she won both the early youth and youth championships in national piano competitions. Though she entered the competition as a younger contestant, she was able to interpret an extremely difficult piece of music easily and freely without a great deal of effort. The judges were amazed as they admired her exquisite musical expertise. Her teacher, Robert Turner, praised her, saying that she plays very difficult pieces with great ease. His comment serves to show how perfect and flawless her skills were.

After graduating from high school, she received a full scholarship to the Julliard School of Music in New York City. In addition to her studies, she participated in many international piano contests and won numerous awards, attracting attention in international music circles. In 1993, at the age of 23, she entered the first Pogorelich Piano Competition as the youngest contestant. There were numerous participants, including many of the best pianists from around the world. The three-week period of competition was intense and demanding. Gwhyneth Chen, with matchless skill and gifted interpretation, prevailed at last and won first place. The audience, visibly touched, gave her an extremely long round of thunderous applause. The judges agreed that her music moved people so deeply because it flowed from her heart completely and was full of humanity. In addition, the well-known pianist Pogorelich, who had sponsored the contest, said he admired her performance more than any other he had ever heard in his whole life. What an exceptional honor! Her piano-playing skills, already miraculous, had reached an incredible state of complete purity and clarity.

From the time Gwhyneth began to give public performances at the age of eleven, she displayed her musical gifts by winning championships in many international piano competitions. Music has been her constant companion all these years and has given her wealth, reputation, and fame throughout the world. As one of the most distinguished pianists on the international music scene, she is often invited to give performances in various countries. However, she has lost none of her original modesty, gentleness and sincerity. She does not have the slightest bit of arrogance. She says she thinks she has benefited tremendously from studying the Buddhadharma. In 1993, after Gwhyneth Chen had won first place in an international piano competition, she took refuge with the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua, founder of the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. Since then, she has become a complete vegetarian and studies the Buddhadharma with a quiet concentrated mind. Being a sincere Buddhist and being profoundly influenced by the Buddhadharma, Gwhyneth Chen’s music subtly reveals her self-nature. Like wandering clouds and flowing streams, it elevates the listener to a higher state. Her audiences have praised her performances, saying, “This kind of music is rarely heard in the world of mortals!”

Gwhyneth is now bringing forth a great vow to give a piano concert at the City of the Dharma Realm in Sacramento to raise funds for the construction of the International Institute for Philosophy and Ethics at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. Even though the Venerable Master Hua passed into stillness many years ago, Gwhyneth has not forgotten for even a day the kindness and the teachings she received from the Venerable Master. As the saying goes: “When one drinks water, one recalls the source.” She wants to use her talent in music to fulfill the wishes of the Venerable Master. These causes and conditions are supreme and difficult to encounter! We sincerely invite great virtuous ones from the ten directions to come and participate in this exceptional event, with the hope that this piano concert will be a complete success.

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