The Uyghur composer chose to speak out

Chinese composer Yikeshan Abudushalamu, also known by his Arabic name Ihsan Abdusalam, is a Uyghur native of Urumqi.Winner of the inaugural Luciano Berio International Composition Competition, his works have been performed by leading orchestras such as the Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome and the RAI National Symphony Orchestra in Turin, under the baton of renowned conductors including Sir Antonio Pappano.His 2020 commission Repression, a 14-minute work for large orchestra, was published by Universal Edition under his legal name and remains his only composition currently available for hire through an international publisher. Most of his output—predominantly orchestral works available on SoundCloud—remains seldom performed in China and underrepresented in the West.Now based in Shanghai, Ihsan is in the fourth and final year of his seclusive doctoral studies under Professor Zhu Shirui at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music.Recently, Ihsan gave an exclusive English-language interview to Harri Kuusisaari, Editor-in-Chief of Finland’s Rondo Classic magazine, during Harri’s cultural visit to Shanghai. It marked Ihsan’s first in-person, one-on-one interview with a foreign journalist.This short video excerpt, filmed by KLASSIKOM, offers a glimpse into their conversation. The programme is in English, with English surtitles. 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