Two contestants of the Fifth China Shenzhen International Piano Concerto Competition pose for a photo with audience members after they hold a concert at Dawan Ancestral Residence in Pingshan on Nov. 18. Photos from the organizer

During the Fifth China Shenzhen International Piano Concerto Competition, which is being held at Shenzhen Concert Hall, two contestants held a special concert at the centuries-old Dawan Ancestral Residence in Pingshan District on Nov. 18.

Otal Josquin, from France, performed Granados’ “El Amor y La Muerte,” Rachmaninoff’s “Etudes Op. 39” (No. 1, 2, 4, 6), and Respighi’s “Notturno.” South Korean pianist Kim Min-young, who graduated from the Mannheim University of Music and Performing Arts, played Schubert’s “Piano Sonata No. 20, D. 959.”

Otal Josquin from France and Kim Min-young from South Korea perform at the Nov. 18 concert at Dawan Ancestral Residence.

The two young pianists also shared with music loverstheir insights on the pieces they played. The audience expressed that it was a wonderful experience to enjoy centuries-old Western music in this Hakka compound that is the same age as the music.

Josquin, who graduated from Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel, said he enjoyed the performance in Pingshan. At the concert at the Dawan Ancestral Residence, the wonderful music and enthusiastic audience created a unique and marvelous experience.

Audience members enjoy the concert at Dawan Ancestral Residence on Nov. 18.

With a history of over 230 years, Dawan Ancestral Residence is a large and well-preserved Hakka-style square compound. In 2002, it was classified as a provincially protected historical site, and in 2008, it was included in the city’s list of 10 blocks with distinctive cultural characteristics.

The Nov. 18 concert injected new vitality into the old site, blending Western classical art with the Eastern culture, enriching the artistic ecology of the cultural block, and connecting to a wider audience.