Pianist Kong Xiangdong: How Do I Get Out of the Depression? Kong Xiangdong | Music | Pianist
I changed my phone number 21 times, in order to prevent people from finding me; Even the closest mother and daughter refused to meet, so when the mother came to deliver food, she had to leave the dishes at the door; Severe insomnia and even thoughts of suicide at one point... Many people may not have imagined that the young and famous pianist Kong Xiangdong would suffer from depression during the rise of his career, lasting for up to 8 years; Many people, including himself, may not have expected that professional treatment combined with the power of music helped Kong Xiangdong overcome depression. Among them, improvising for family and friends became a "good medicine", allowing him to find happiness and value. In this issue of "Letter No. 600", let's walk into this story together.
Pianist Kong Xiangdong: How to Get Out of Depression
Kong Xiangdong was born in Shanghai in 1968 and won two awards at the Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition in Moscow in 1986 and the Santander International Competition in Spain in 1987. In 2004, he was invited to hold a piano solo concert at the Golden Hall in Vienna, and later collaborated with Italian composer Giorgio Molodel to create the 2008 Olympic song "Forever Friend".
In 2008, Kong Xiangdong fell into a state of depression. "I don't feel like sleeping during the day or at night, and my thoughts are wild all day. I refuse all my friends' invitations and performances. I have changed my phone number 21 times, in order not to let others find me. I close the curtains day and night, and I don't even want to see my mother and daughter. When they knock on the door, I quietly look at them through the cat's eye on the door, but don't open the door or speak. My mother always puts the food on the stool at the door."
This state lasted for several years. Fortunately, Kong Xiangdong's mother quietly mixed the medication for treating depression with her meals after seeking medical help. After taking it, Kong Xiangdong's symptoms began to improve and he went to the Shanghai Mental Health Center for treatment. Slowly, Kong Xiangdong was willing to meet people, and his family and friends visited one after another. However, at this time, Kong Xiangdong remained silent and instead entertained guests by playing the piano.
"Later, while playing, I wanted to compose music for my friends on site. After trying a few times, I received recognition from my friends, and sometimes I could feel emotional resonance, which made me happy." Gradually, Kong Xiangdong increased the difficulty of improvising music and asked his friends to "set questions" on site, freely giving four notes. Kong Xiangdong improvised music and played it, and many people were moved and even couldn't help but cry. It was this experience that gave Kong Xiangdong a new understanding of music, as well as happiness and value, gradually emerging from the haze of depression.
Nowadays, Kong Xiangdong often returns to the Shanghai Mental Health Center to perform public welfare performances for patients, and also develops music with psychological healing functions. "I hope to use my own experience to tell everyone that depression is never the end point. With the courage to face the unhappiness in life, I will definitely be able to overcome the haze and see the rainbow again," said Kong Xiangdong.
