Love warms Houston: "Aspiration Foundation” gave blessing to the blind piano girl Jiang Mingming
At 5 pm on February 8, 2017, the board members of Houston "Aspiration Foundation" went to the famous Chinese musician Ms. Xiaoping Wu’ house to visit the blind piano girl Mingming Jiang who is from Mainland China. They gave Mingming a red envelope as a symbol of the New Year blessing and encouragement. Ms. Wu Xiaoping is also the judge of the South American Chopin International Competition.
The 21-year-old Mingming Jiang suffered from childhood blindness caused by optic nerve atrophy. But she grew up liking music, often longing for the piano music from the radio or television. Although the family was poor, Mingming’s mother still brought her to Liu Ning piano school in Shenyang to study music. She hoped that the music could change the fate of her daughter; to add a brilliant hope to her daughter's black and white world.President Liu Ning was touched by the blind girl's love for music. As an exception, he taught her for free. More than a decade later, under the hard work of Mr. Liu’s teaching & guidance, through her own diligent and hard study, the blind girl miraculously passed the piano ten level examinations. She also received awards many times for different kinds of Chinese and foreign piano competitions. She became a small pianist who could not see the sheet music or piano black & white keys.
2012, Mingming won second place in the Italian International Piano Competition for China Division. Because of Mingming’s excellent performance, he was accepted into university in Beijing to be trained as a professional piano tuner. In August 2014, in the first session of the southern US Chopin International Competition, Mingming won the gold medal. In February 2017, in the second session of the southern US Chopin International Competition, Mingming again won the Youth Group Special Award.
Mingming was very grateful for the visit by the board members of Houston "Aspiration Foundation", so she was happily played a few of her favorite piano music, and sang the song “Grateful” for Wu Xiaoping teacher which she written specially for Mingming. The beautiful piano and vocal echoed throughout the room, and rippled through everyone’s heart. Mingming was able to participate in the past two session of Chopin competition was the result of the support from Ms. Wu Xiaoping other caring friends. Hoping to express her gratitude for everyone’s kindness, Mingming declared: she will become an excellent professional piano tuner in the future, so that through her hard work she can become a role model to inspire other blind children to work towards their own dreams.
Jiang Mingming's artistic spirit embodies the mission of Aspirational Foundation; although her eyes cannot see, but her emotional filled the world with brilliant colors. Aspirational Foundation is dedicated to helping children from poor families, suffering from illness or natural disasters to lead to life in distress, so that they can have the opportunity to benefit from art education, bring beauty back into their life, and pursuit after their own artistic dreams.
