因為熱愛，所以堅持

2022年的夏天，對于谷潤心和谷潤天姐弟來說，既緊張忙碌，又收獲滿滿。

（谷潤心 谷潤天在第四屆中白“絲綢之路”國際青少年藝術(shù)大賽榮獲四手聯(lián)彈一等獎）

姐姐谷潤心和弟弟谷潤天小的時候大部分時間在美國東海岸生活，但每到逢年過節(jié)暑假寒假，都會回到北京和長輩、朋友團聚。2022年9月，全家搬回北京后，他們先是在北京樂成國際學(xué)校上學(xué)，后來又分別轉(zhuǎn)入北京匯文中學(xué)和板廠小學(xué)，回歸公立學(xué)校體系。

（姐姐谷潤心和弟弟谷潤天）

姐弟倆都是5歲開始學(xué)習(xí)彈鋼琴，8歲開始學(xué)習(xí)小提琴。在美國的學(xué)習(xí)環(huán)境相對寬松，啟蒙老師并沒有強制練琴時間都要求，但是需要保證效率。他們基本每天堅持半小時鋼琴，20分鐘小提琴的練習(xí)節(jié)奏，逐漸培養(yǎng)期對音樂的興趣。

自從回到國內(nèi)，學(xué)習(xí)壓力自然比在美國時大了不少，特別是轉(zhuǎn)入公立學(xué)校以后，緊張的學(xué)習(xí)節(jié)奏無疑壓縮了他們的練琴時間。但幸運的是，姐弟倆在北京遇到了非常好的鋼琴老師——戰(zhàn)華娜老師。她不僅能夠因材施教，根據(jù)他們自身特點安排練習(xí)的曲目和考級節(jié)奏，同時通過高質(zhì)量的比賽鍛煉使他們認識到和國內(nèi)同齡練琴孩子的差距，進而保持的練習(xí)狀態(tài)。孩子們也很喜歡戰(zhàn)老師，但主要的原因，據(jù)說是戰(zhàn)老師經(jīng)常給她們好吃的和小禮物。

馬格努斯皇家青少年國際鋼琴比賽中國區(qū)半0決賽四手聯(lián)彈（姐姐谷潤心和弟弟谷潤天）

（谷潤心、谷潤天與他們的鋼琴老師戰(zhàn)華娜）

在戰(zhàn)老師的悉心指導(dǎo)下，姐弟倆接連榮獲了2021年馬格努斯皇家青少年國際鋼琴比賽中國區(qū)半決賽四手聯(lián)彈一等獎，2022年第十屆斯坦威全國青少年鋼琴比賽北京賽區(qū)半決賽獨奏二等獎，決賽四手聯(lián)彈三等獎項。

谷潤心

谷潤天

（姐姐谷潤心、弟弟谷潤天）

根據(jù)戰(zhàn)老師的建議，谷潤心和谷潤天報名參加了 4月份由白俄羅斯文化部、白俄羅斯教育部、白俄羅斯國立音樂學(xué)院和中白文化促進會等單位組織舉辦的，第四屆中白“絲綢之路”國際青少年藝術(shù)大賽。遺憾的時候，因為北京疫情的緣故，比賽被延期。而且，由于姐姐早已申請到美國一所歷史悠久的全日制住宿制暑期學(xué)校，弟弟也將在華盛頓附近接受為期3周的冰球營訓(xùn)練，在暑假來臨之際，兩姐弟只得帶著遺憾離開北京。

臨行前，他們把琴譜收在隨身帶行李里，特意囑咐媽媽，在預(yù)定酒店或者民宿的時候，一定要優(yōu)先選擇有鋼琴的住所，這樣，他們就可以抓緊所有可能的機會練琴。同時，他們也和戰(zhàn)老師約定，在有條件的時候，繼續(xù)堅持遠程鋼琴網(wǎng)課。畢竟學(xué)習(xí)鋼琴是基于從小對音樂的熱愛，不能因為一時錯過比賽就放松對自己的要求。

在美國的行程比想象中還要緊湊一些。因為是全日制夏校，谷潤心白天有三門不同的課程附加一個小時賽艇訓(xùn)練。下課后除了3個小時的夏校作業(yè)以外，還需要見縫插針的完成國內(nèi)學(xué)校的暑假作業(yè)。谷潤天每天從早上8:30到下午4:00，一周五天參加高強度的冰球訓(xùn)練。回到家也要進行中文和數(shù)學(xué)的學(xué)習(xí)，為新學(xué)期開學(xué)做準(zhǔn)備。

即使如此，他們兩個還是按照原定計劃，抓緊一切零碎的時間找琴來彈。有時是酒店大堂旁的伴奏琴，有時是夏校宿舍走廊里一架快散架的電子琴，有時是民宿里的老舊古董。從5歲學(xué)琴開始，他們還從未有這種碰到什么琴就彈什么的經(jīng)歷，但這樣“艱苦”的練琴機會反而激發(fā)了他們對音樂的堅持。

7月底，戰(zhàn)老師帶來一個好消息，北京疫情緩解，中白鋼琴大賽預(yù)計在8月10日在北京音樂廳舉行，因為他們兩個的情況特殊，戰(zhàn)老師為他們爭取到組委會的特別許可，可以通過提交視頻的形式參加比賽。兩姐弟得知后先是很開心，緊接著又憂慮起來。因為當(dāng)時兩姐弟身處美國不同的城市，平時各自練琴已經(jīng)很不容易，如何能湊到一起完成四手聯(lián)彈的錄音成了更大的難題。

但是面對這個得來不易的機會，兩姐弟決定“沒有條件，創(chuàng)造條件也要上”。

姐姐找到暑期學(xué)校的老師說明了特殊情況，被學(xué)校特別批準(zhǔn)可以使用音樂系上課的專用琴房錄音。但是因為琴房只有平時開門，于是每天下課，谷潤心就要先趕到琴房去練習(xí)，晚上7點以后才能回到宿舍開始完成當(dāng)天的作業(yè)，經(jīng)常忙到半夜，第二天一早又6:30爬起來開始新一天的學(xué)習(xí)。

弟弟的一位當(dāng)?shù)乇蜿犛言敢馓峁┘依锏匿撉僮屗瓿射浿疲蔷嚯x冰場開車往返兩個多小時。于是，他每天下了冰就帶上簡易的晚餐上路，往往彈完琴回家已經(jīng)是晚上10點多，一周如是往復(fù)，期待把自己的狀態(tài)調(diào)整到最佳。

（姐姐谷潤心、弟弟谷潤天）

就這樣，姐弟倆先是分頭把自己的獨奏曲目完成，然后等待四手聯(lián)彈的合體。8月5日谷潤心的夏校正式結(jié)束，參加完結(jié)業(yè)式她就趕忙和全家開車一個多小時到波士頓的練琴房。此時兩個人已經(jīng)有5周沒有見面，但是各自的堅持讓他們的默契還在，終于在比賽日以前順利的提交了所有的比賽曲目。

如今，谷潤心和谷潤天已經(jīng)回到北京開始隔離，戰(zhàn)老師再一次帶來好消息，他們的獨奏分別獲得二等獎，四手聯(lián)彈榮獲一等獎。雖然成績不是目的，但卻是對他們兩人在假期中努力堅持的一種肯定。貝多芬說：“音樂是比一切智慧、一切哲學(xué)更高的啟示?！庇辛艘魳返呐惆?，相信他們會在人生的道路上收獲更多的快樂。

Persisting, Because Of Love

The summer of 2022 was hectic and fruitful for Cece Gu and Terrence Gu.

Cece and Terrence spent most of their childhood in the east coast of the United States, but every summer and winter holiday, they would return to Beijing to meet their extended family and friends. After the family moved back to Beijing in September 2022, they enrolled at Beijing City International School, then later transferred to Beijing Huiwen Middle School and Banchang Primary School. Respectively, returning to the public school system.

Both siblings began learning to play the piano at the age of five and the violin at the age of eight. The learning environment in the United States is relatively relaxed and calm, and it didn’t put a lot of pressure on the siblings. Because of this, their first piano teacher did not require many hours of practicing, but he needed Cece and Terrence to ensure efficiency. They practiced the piano for half an hour and the violin for 20 minutes every day, gradually cultivating their interest in music.

Since returning to China, the learning pressure is certainly much greater than in the United States, especially after transferring to public schools, the intense pace of learning has undoubtedly compressed their practicing time. Fortunately, the siblings met a very good piano teacher in Beijing - Mrs. Zhan Hua Na. She teaches them in accordance with their atitude, and arranges the repertoire for practice and the rhythm of grade examination to try and fit in with their schedule. Mrs. Zhan also makes them realize the gap between them and other Chinese children of the same age through high-quality competitions, so as to maintain their focus when practicing. The children also like Mrs. Zhan very much. She often rewards them with various snacks and small gifts.

Under the careful guidance of Mr. Zhan, the two siblings won the first prize of the Chinese Semi-final of the Magnus Royal Youth International Piano Competition in 2021, the second prize of the Semi-final solo of the Beijing Division of the 10th Steinway National Youth Piano Competition in 2022, and the third prize of the Final Duet.

According to Mrs. Zhan's suggestion, Cece and Terrence signed up for the 4th China-Belarus "Silk Road" International Youth Art Competition in April, which was organized by the Ministry of Culture of Belarus, the Ministry of Education of Belarus, the Belarusian National Conservatory of Music and the Sino-White Culture Promotion Association. Unfortunately, because of the pandemic acceleration in Beijing, the competition was postponed. Since Cece has already admitted to a long-established residential summer school in the US and Terrence would be training at a three-week ice hockey camp near Washington, the two siblings had to leave Beijing with regret as the summer holiday approached.

Before they left, the siblings packed piano books in their carry-on luggage and told their mother that when booking hotels or renting out homes, they would like there to be pianos so that they could practice as much as possible. At the same time, they also agreed with Mrs. Zhan, that when conditions were available, they would continue to adhere to the remote piano online lessons. After all, learning piano is based on love for music, so no one should not meet their requirements just because they missed a competition.

The schedule in the United States was a little tighter than expected. Because it is a full-time summer school, Cece has three different courses plus 2 hours rowing training during the day. After class, in addition to three hours of summer school homework, she also had to complete homework from her middle school in China. Terrence ran the day from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., five days a week, intensive hockey training. At home, he had to study Chinese and math to prepare for the new semester.

Even so, the two of them still followed their original plan, and seized every spare time to find the piano to play. Sometimes it was the accompaniment piano by the hotel lobby, sometimes it was the electronic piano falling apart in the corridor of the summer school dormitory, and sometimes it was the old antique in the rented home. Since they learned to play the piano at the age of five, they never had the experience of playing any instrument they come across, but such a "diffucult" chance to practice the piano has inspired them to stick to music.

At the end of July, Μrs. Zhan brought a good news that the pandemic situation in Beijing was alleviated, and the Sino-White Piano Competition was expected to be held in Beijing Concert Hall on August 10. Because of their special circumstances, Mrs. Zhan obtained special permission for them to participate in the competition by submitting videos. The two siblings were very happy, and then worried. At that time, the two siblings were living in different cities in the United States, and it was not easy for them to practice the piano separately. How to get together to complete the recording of the Duet became a bigger problem.

But faced with this hard-won opportunity, the two siblings decided, "If there are no conditions, we will make them."

The elder sister found the summer school teacher explained the special situation, was specially approved by the music department's special recording room. However, because the piano room is only open a couple of times during the week, Cece has to go to the piano room to practice after class every day. She can only return to the dormitory after 7 p.m. to finish the homework of the day. She is often busy until midnight and gets up at 6:30 the next morning to start a new day's study.

A local hockey teammate offered Terrence their piano for practice and recording, but it was more than a two-hour drive to and from the rink. Therefore, he took a simple dinner with him on the road every day after the ice, and often returned home after playing the piano at more than 10 p.m., repeating this for a week, hoping to adjust his state to the best.

In this way, the siblings completed their solo pieces separately, and then waited for the Duet. On August 5, Cece’s summer school officially ended. After attending the completion ceremony, she drove to Boston with her family for more than an hour to the piano practice room. At this time, the two had not met for 5 weeks, but their respective persistence kept their tacit understanding, and finally successfully submitted all the competition songs before the match day.

Now, Cece and Terrence have returned to Beijing to begin quarantine, and Mrs. Zhan once again brings good news, their solo won the second prize, and first on their duet. While the grades were not the goal, they were a validation of how hard the two of them had persevered over the holidays. Beethoven said: "Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom, all philosophy." With the company of music, they believe that they will reap more happiness in the road of life.