Li Yundi performs in Changsha, Hunan province, in September during his world tour, Sonata. [Photo provided to China Daily]

In the midst of a 100-city tour, Chinese pianist Li Yundi reflects on how his interpretation of his favorite composer's music has evolved over the years, Chen Nan reports.

In the middle of the largest world tour of his career, Chinese pianist Li Yundi turned 37, on Oct 7.

The tour, which kicked off on June 2 with a concert in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, will see him visit 60 Chinese cities and 40 cities abroad and will last through 2020.

Titled Sonata, the tour features repertories including Schubert's Piano Sonata in A Major, D 664 Op 120, Chopin's Piano Sonata No 3 in B Minor, Op 58, and Rachmaninov's Etudes-Tableaux, and Piano Sonata No 2 in B-flat Minor, Op 36.

"I want to present my music to as big an audience as possible. My birthday wish was to enjoy music with a new understanding and to share that music with more people," Li says.

"Preserving my inner child is as important to me as being a musician. When I play music, I stay curious."

Before each concert, Li rehearses for about three hours. He also goes to the gym, before sleeping for about two hours to prepare for each concert.

Besides his live performances, he is giving master classes to young music learners during the tour.

"There are many new concert halls popping up around the country and I have not performed in many of the cities before," says Li.

"Every moment before I walk onto the stage, I see the lights through the stage door and hear the applause of the audience. I have no idea what is going to happen, which makes me nervous and excited."

The repertories the pianist chose to play during the tour reflect his growth and transformation as an artist, he says.

Many enthusiastic young people attended his concerts, and shared with him their own understanding of the pieces, which he calls "impressive and encouraging".

"I told them to enjoy music and not to force anything. Let the music speak for itself," Li says.

During the ongoing tour, Li is playing pieces by three musicians, Shubert, Rachmaninov and Chopin that, according to the musician, "represent different music styles and eras".

Since he started studying the piano, Chopin has always been one of Li's favorite composers.

In 2000, at the age of 18, Li became the first Chinese-and the youngest-winner of the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition, through which he was propelled into the international spotlight.