George Li – Second Prize

Which people would you invite as guests to your dream dinner party?

Martha Argerich, Lionel Messi, and all the world leaders to at least have a moment of peace throughout the world.

What is your favorite meal?

Pork belly, nicknamed "fatty goodness."

Do you have a favorite motto or proverb that you live your life by?

"There are three people walking beside me – one of them must be able to teach me something."

Which person or people inspire you the most?

Beethoven.

If you were 80 years old, what advice would you give to young people today?

"Live life to your fullest, because you only live once (YOLO)."

What would you like people to say about you?

That I'm not only a world-class musician, but also a wonderful human being.

How do you overcome the stage fright? / What is your ritual before going on stage?

I try to trip myself onstage to get sympathy from the audience (just kidding) ;) / Ritual: take a nap, have some white rice with beef and broccoli, warm up, look through music.

When you perform... who are you playing for?

It depends, mostly for my family (my mom, my dad, brother, sister, etc.), but one time I played for a wonderful janitor who loved listening to classical music.

What job would you least like to do?

I would hate to be a secretary – so boring!

Is there a joke about musicians that you would like to share with us?

I know a few, but I don't want to offend anyone :)

What's the "most played" non-classical track on your phone?

Aloe Blacc, "The Man".

You are on a desert island and can bring only 3 items, what do you bring?

Cell phone, some music, and toilet paper.

What is your favorite noise/sound? What is the most annoying noise for you?

Favorite sound: oven/microwave beeping (time to eat!). Annoying sound: smoke detector going off.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Hawaii.

What is the first thing you think about when you hear the word Tchaikovsky?

Beauty.

What is the first thing you think about when you hear the word competition?

Sharing music with the world.