Ji Liu performs John Cage's 4'33" live at the Bristol Proms
30 July 2014, 18:33
Ji Liu made a stunning Bristol Proms debut by performing two completely opposing pieces - John Cage's iconic 'silent' piece '4'33", and the complete Goldberg variations by Bach.
As he explained to Classic FM's Jane Jones before he took to the stage, choosing these wildly different pieces actually had a bizarre kind of logic behind it.
"For the Goldberg Variations… I need the silence and concentration from the audience. John Cage's '4'33"' has got the same idea, because it also involves the audience, the atmosphere and the environment."
Pictures: Ji Liu live at the Bristol Proms 2014
Revealing his philosophy on the controversial 'silent' piece, John Cage's '4'33"', Liu sees it as more of a joint effort between him and the audience: "I think I am only part of the performance during this piece because the audience can make sound, so I'm looking forward to this collaboration."
Oh, and he also tells Jane about how wearing amazing shoes can make playing John Cage a breeze - make sure you watch to the end of the interview.
