The Henle Verlag publication Masterpieces of 20th-Century Chinese Piano Music has recently won the prestigious President’s Award at the 2025 Art of Piano Education Awards in the UK. This marks the first time that a Chinese piano sheet music publication has received this award, signifying a breakthrough for Chinese piano music literature in the international professional field.
In May this year, during the award ceremony held at the Elgar Room of the Royal Albert Hall in London, Dr. Norbert Gertsch, President of Henle Verlag, accepted the award on behalf of the publisher. He noted that since the global release of the sheet music in 2023, it has not only shown strong sales performance—becoming one of the publisher’s best-selling scores—but also contributed significantly to the dissemination of Chinese piano works in the Western world. An increasing number of Western pianists are now performing these pieces, and piano teachers are incorporating them into their curricula.
Masterpieces of 20th-Century Chinese Piano Music is edited by Associate Professor Xie Jingxian of the Piano Department at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. It is the first Chinese music score ever published in Henle Verlag’s 75-year history. The sheet music is published in three languages: Chinese, English, and German. It thoughtfully includes ten classic masterpieces by eight prominent senior Chinese composers: Qu Wei’s Flower Drum, Wang Lisan’s Little Sonata and Sound of Waves, Chen Peixun’s Dry Thunder, Huang Huwei’s Pictures of Bashu, Li Yinghai’s Three Variations on the Yangguan Melody, Wang Jianzhong’s Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix and Colorful Clouds Chasing the Moon, Chu Wanghua’s The Moon Reflected in Erquan Spring, and Sun Yiqiang’s Flying Grains. Most of these composers studied or worked at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. These works represent the academic excellence of Chinese piano composition and are beloved performance pieces, covering difficulty levels from beginner to concert performer.
As chief editor, Associate Professor Xie Jingxian carefully selected these ten classic Chinese masterpieces from a legally authorized repertoire of Chinese works, thanks to a copyright cooperation agreement between Henle Verlag and the People’s Music Publishing House in Beijing. She also authored an introduction to the history of Chinese piano composition and provided background information on each composer and piece. This makes the sheet music not only a musical publication but also an important window to showcase Chinese music, culture, landscapes, and folk customs to the world. Notably, Dry Thunder and Colorful Clouds Chasing the Moon have been included in the authoritative ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) examination syllabus.
The Art of Piano Education Awards is dedicated to honoring publications and individuals that have had a profound impact on the art of piano education worldwide. This year’s jury was chaired by renowned British pianist and educator Andrew Eales, and the panel included leading international musicians and scholars. The President’s Award, one of the seven major award categories, being granted to a Chinese sheet music publication is undoubtedly a strong affirmation of its academic value, cultural influence, and global impact.
Associate Professor Xie Jingxian expressed after the award ceremony that the sheet music carries the mission of allowing the world to “see” the real and beautiful China. She pledged to continue her efforts in promoting Chinese musical culture to the world.
