From Belgium, with love

Maljean initially started studying medicine following the advice of his parents, but, after two years, he quit to concentrate on music, "which has been my true passion since childhood", he says.

The musician visited China for the first time in 2002 and has been a frequent visitor since then. His music, as he describes it, is full of hope and peace. He has recorded a number of piano solo albums and instrumental albums, most of which have been released in China.

The pianist also combines musical elements of Chinese ethnic groups with his original materials.

For example, he traveled to Qiandongnan Miao and Dong autonomous prefecture in Southwest China's Guizhou and Yunnan provinces, and North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, to experience local music.

In early 2020, he wrote a song, titled Chime of the Dawn Bells, which was performed by his daughter, Noemie, dedicated to China and its people and expressing his support for the country's fight against the COVID-19 outbreak. The song went viral and has accumulated 100 million views online. Beyond his expectations, Maljean received lots of messages from his friends in China. In the same year, he released an album, titled Chor, which was inspired by the warm feedback of the song, Chime of the Dawn Bells. The album saw Maljean combining Chinese bianzhong (chime bells) with piano. An image of the woodcut painting of Wuhan's landmark building, the Yellow Crane Tower, is featured on the album's cover, which is the work of Wuhan artist Li Fulu.

At the end of last year, when Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province, faced a tough time fighting against a COVID-19 outbreak, Maljean composed a song, titled Frozen City, also performed by Noemie, paying tribute to frontline workers, and encouraging people to defeat the pandemic.

Maljean says he heard a lot about Xi'an, though he has never been to the ancient city.

"It's one of the few cities I have not visited in China. I have received an invitation from Xi'an to give a concert there. I hope that it will happen in March. I am missing China and my friends there so much."