Editor's Note: Nearly 4,000 graduates of the Class of 2023 will become the youngest alumni. After the refinement and accumulation of their four-year university life, they are full of achievements and will embark on a new journey of pursuing knowledge, innovation and dedication to the motherland. The official microblogging site of TU has set up a column "Glories of Honor Graduates", showing the performance of the outstanding representatives among the graduates, encouraging TU students to learn from the role models and motivating them to advance.
This girl with a bright and sweet smile is Jiang Ziyi from Class 1 of 2019 Musicology (Teacher Training), who has been admitted to the postgraduate program of Shanghai Conservatory of Music, majoring in Art Theory. "Radiance comes from your efforts beyond the call of duty, and splendor depends on your practice day in and day out." During her four years of college life, she has pursued her dream with persistence and sweat.
In her study, she ranked first in intellectual achievement for three consecutive years and first in comprehensive assessment for two years in a row, and won the scholarships offered by the national and provincial governments, as well as the first-class and ideological and political education scholarships by TU. In terms of professional ability, she won three first prizes in the instrumental group and two first prizes in the vocal group of Zhejiang University Students' Art Festival, as well as a gold prize in international Competition on Guzheng. Besides, she is a student leader, who has served as class president, executive chairman of the Academy Society, class assistant, etc.
“I have been exposed to Guzheng since I was 6 years old.”
Guzheng, the musical instrument Jiang is best at, underlines the reason why she opted to take Yikao (art examination) and study music. "I began to play the Guzheng at six, and passed the test-10 for Guzheng players when I was in junior middle school. Because of my expertise and interest in this field, I decided to take the art examination and started my professional training."
Jiang said that she was not able to understand the charm of Guzheng due to her young age and was often punished for being a slack practicer, but as she grew older, she came to understood more and more of its beauty. "Guzheng, as a national musical instrument, not only produces the crisp sound that everyone remembers, but what attracts me more is its eclecticism and inclusiveness. Among China's eleven schools, including Hakka, Chaozhou, Shandong, Henan, Shaanxi and other different schools, each has a close connection with the regional tone of voice, so different strengths and amplitudes of pressing strings on the left hand of the Guzheng can show different flavors." Jiang is full of enthusiasm when talking about Guzheng. Through practicing day after day, in addition to the continuous improvement of her skills, she also perceives more deeply the cultural connotation of Guzheng as an ancient, traditional instrument of the Chinese nation, "Playing the zither is just like talking to us. Different zithers and tunes are telling the different sounds of the countryside of China".
Jiang’s passion for and persistence in Guzheng playing enabled her to stepped onto the path of music and contributed to her shining youth.
“On the path of hard work, I never set limits on myself.”
After becoming a music major, Jiang has always required herself to be down-to-earth in improving her literacy and professional skills. She believes that attitude is the most important in learning. Namely, one should be persistent and come down to bedrock in study.
Music major is a skill-based profession. Vocal music, piano, Guzheng, solfeggio and ear-training— all these skills may seem interesting to a layman, but it takes tons of time and energy to achieve progress. Sometimes it needs hours of repeated practice to correct even an error of a syllable. The whole process is so boring that it makes a real test of will and nature. Jiang said that she was not gifted but was sedentary —— once she started doing something, she would stick to it. This enables her to practice and polish her professional skills in a calm and quiet manner, and "being able to sit still and be patient" has also helped her with literacy learning to some extent.
“On the way of hard work, I never set any limits for myself. Instead, I have been challenging myself for four years in college. I am very grateful to the teachers and classmates who helped me along the way. " Jiang said.
“Repeated curtain calls on the stage are posting farewell messages to the days and nights of preparation."
During her college years, Jiang has participated in various competitions. In her opinion, competitions are important acceptance tests of the results of learning and practice. Only by taking competitions can she refine her professional skills.
She once participated in two instrumental music programs and two vocal music programs at the Zhejiang University Students' Art Festival. Her schedule was tight and the competitions concentrated, which to a large extent compressed her time to rehearsal. During the nearly six months of preparation, Jiang rehearsed from morning to night except for class time. Overtime work due to unsatisfactory rehearsal results also became a regular occurrence, and she was often joked by her friends that she was either rehearsing or on her way to rehearsal every day. She said: "Our professional competition needs a lot of time preparing. It is difficult because it is not like tracing the roots of things, but distilling emotions into the tune and integrating the soul with the melody. From familiarizing yourself with the score to passionately performing it, it is gradually completed in endless practice."
In the first semester of her sophomore year, she prepared to participate in the Teacher Training Competition. In order not to fall behind in the subsequent courses, Jiang studied the junior and senior courses in advance. She prepared all the model lessons and improvisational accompaniments in the music books of primary and secondary schools in one month, laying a solid foundation for the courses followed. "Repeated curtain calls on the stage are posting farewell messages to the days and nights of preparation. Only after experiencing it could I understand that time is like water in a sponge. Just squeeze it and you will become aware of the significance of every minute."
“If you decide to be bright, nothing can stop you.”
In addition to study and competitions, Jiang was also involved in student management. She once served as class president, executive chairman of the College Troupe Society, director of the Spring Rain Zither Troupe, class assistant, etc. When asked her why she kept herself so busy, Jiang answered that everything was worthwhile. Through years of work, she has developed as a leader and accumulated experiences on how to deal with affairs and interpersonal relationships. “Being a class president made me realize that the real 'high EQ' means to weigh the pros and cons before acting from other’s perspective, and to be honest and kind instead of being smooth and worldly. Understanding the demands of our classmates and bridging the gap between teachers and students is not just a superficial work, but requires tolerance and empathy." In other positions, Jiang insisted on thinking, making progress in honing, and improving her comprehensive ability.
“If you decide to be bright, nothing can stop you.” Jiang used it as her motto, firmly believing that it is in giving that she can receive, and that giving will be eventually rewarded.
“Every mountain top is within reach if you just keep climbing.”
Because of her enthusiasm for music and teaching, Jiang defined her goal of taking the postgraduate examination when she was a sophomore. In 2020, Professor Yu Danhong of Shanghai Conservatory of Music was invited to give a lecture to TU teachers and students. After listening to the wonderful lecture, Jiang conceived the idea of applying for admittance to the master's department, but doubted about the odds in her favor. When sharing her ideas with her teachers and her mother, she received great support and encouragement, which motivated her to take this step forward.
A top student as she is, that year was not easy for Jiang. "Sporadic sleep, hair loss, endless review questions, endless knowledge points to memorize, not to mention panic, restlessness, anxiety, as well as the idea of giving up and fighting in the second round popping up from time to time… This period of time was indeed torturous, but the pain will be forgotten, and everything is just fine after the examination. In retrospect, this experience was more like a kind of growing experience, the broadening of learning, life and thinking in all aspects." This is how she described her journey to graduate school. In terms of the biggest difficulties encountered, she held that the tests of professional courses were the main pressure. The syllabus released by the school defined over a dozen of reference books but the examination requirements were unclear. How to grasp the focus to efficiently prepare for the examination had been the most entangled in the last four months. Through continuous access to information, and constantly reconstructing her knowledge system, Jiang finally overcame the difficulties.
In regard to the key to her success, Jiang believed that grit matters. The preparing process is a bumpy journey full of anxiety, sadness and a constant stream of pressure and blows. No matter what confronts you, you should always stay self-aware, and carefully plan, rectify faults and reflect. Never let the worries and anxieties undermine your enthusiasm and determination. She sent a message to her younger schoolmates: "Don't be afraid to aim too high. Keep your feet on the ground and never quit."
"I am so obsessed with this major that I will further my study in the field." said Jiang, who is about to embark on a new journey. Keeping the expectation of the unknown and the courage to go forward, she will shine in the world she loves in the future.
