BEIJING, Feb 18- Malaysia’s leading pianist Claudia Yang, nee Teoh Gay Hoon was honoured with the “Pro Cultura Hungarica” award by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán here in recognition for her efforts to popularize Hungarian music.
“I felt extremely honored to receive the award because my contribution in spreading Hungarian culture, especially Franz Liszt’s (world renowned Hungarian-born classical pianist and composer) music has been recognised by the Hungarian Government,” Yang told Bernama when contacted.
The “Pro Cultura Hungarica” award is the top cultural award of Hungary for foreign individuals who promote Hungarian culture and strengthen its ties with others.
Yang, 40, appeared to be the first Malaysian who received the award in China during the opening ceremony of the Hungarian Cultural Institute in Beijing on Feb 13 during Orbán’s three-day official visit to China.
She said Malaysians were known as the friendliest people in the world as they grew up in a multiracial and culturally diverse environment.
Yang, who tied the knot with her Chinese husband in Budapest after graduating from college, once lived in the capital of Hungary for a few years.
“We (Malaysians) were taught how to respect each other and make friends, we could show good example of living in harmony with others and to merge into the local community (in Hungary),” she said.
As such, she encouraged young Malaysians who lived or were studying abroad to integrate into the local culture.
“I am so proud of being a Malaysian,” she again emphasized.
Yang is a concert pianist born in Muar, Johor who began her piano studies at age five.
At age 17, she flew to Vienna to pursue her dream of becoming an internationally-renowned pianist, graduating as joint best pianist of her yearin 1997.
Yang will play a concert with the famous Hungarian orchestra, the MAV Symphony Orchestra in Budapest on March 26.
-BERNAMA
