Pianist Reflects on PTSD After Performing Modern Music

This video marks the second conversation in a series with Dr Wu Dielan, exploring how to listen to contemporary music—and what audiences can expect from living composers—following twelve intense days immersed in modern music performances in Beijing this May. The discussions were recorded after two major events hosted by the Central Conservatory of Music and the China Conservatory of Music.Dr Wu, a concert pianist and postdoctoral researcher at the Central Conservatory of Music, shares her reflections from both a listener’s and performer’s perspective. Speaking candidly, she recalls experiencing symptoms of PTSD after performing certain modern works in the West, shedding light on the technical and psychological demands of contemporary repertoire.Filmed and recorded in Beijing on 24 May 2025.This is a Chinese programme with Chinese subtitles. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit klassikom.substack.com