World-renowned pianist Kong Xiangdong will attend NYU Shanghai’s 9th undergraduate graduation ceremony as the commencement speaker on May 25. Some 407 graduates from 46 countries and regions, along with their families and friends, will gather on the quad of the New Bund campus to witness this special moment. In a first for NYU Shanghai, this year’s commencement will be held on campus, as the University ushers in a new tradition.
Kong expressed gratitude for being invited to the commencement as the speaker. “The world will ultimately belong to those who dare to reimagine the future,” he said. He urged graduates to demonstrate “how NYU Shanghai graduates make the cut.”
A native Shanghainese, Kong began to study piano at a young age. He enrolled at the Middle School Affiliated to Shanghai Conservatory of Music in 1981 and held his debut solo recital in Shanghai at age 18. In 1988, he pursued advanced studies at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and performed at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City later that year. He has won prestigious awards in the industry, including the gold medal at the 1988 Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition and the first prize at the 1992 Sydney International Piano Competition. At 17, he won the bronze medal at the 1986 Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition in Moscow. Kong has performed in over 40 countries so far and is one of China’s most t influential pianists.
Chancellor Tong Shijun, who will present Kong the NYU Shanghai Medal of Honor at the commencement ceremony, said that besides being a piano prodigy and master artist, Kong is an eminent educator. “I think our students can learn from him what becomes possible on the path to becoming their better selves,” he said.
Kong has bridged nations and different cultures through music. He was the first Chinese pianist invited by the Austrian Ministry of Culture to perform at the Musikverein Golden Hall of Vienna. He was also the first pianist to serve as the “Cultural Ambassador of Asia and China” and performed at the historic Sino-Korean diplomatic conference in South Korea in 1993. He also performed at a concert at the United Nations headquarters to celebrate the International Day of Peace in 2002. He has also participated in the US-China youth musician exchange programs.
Beyond his artistic achievements, Kong is committed to music education and philanthropy and founded music institutes around China to nurture young talents. His dedication to using music to make a positive social impact led to his appointment as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in 2004. As Vice President of the China Association of Special Arts, he actively supports artistic creation by people with disabilities, as well as the development and exchange of special arts.
“We are exceptionally fortunate that the world-renowned Kong Xiangdong has agreed to serve as our commencement speaker this year,” said Vice Chancellor Jeffrey Lehman. “I know that his personal reflections will leave an enduring impact on the Class of 2025.”