Renowned Pianist Guo Zhihong, Son of Guo Moruo, Dies of Sudden Heart Attack at Age 92

The reporter from The Paper learned from the relatives and friends of Professor Guo Zhihong that renowned pianist, composer, educator, advisor to the Piano Society of the China Musicians Association, and Professor of the Piano Department at the Central Conservatory of Music, Guo Zhihong, passed away on November 10, 2024, due to a sudden heart attack, at the age of 92.
Guo Zhihong, the son of Mr. Guo Moruo, demonstrated extraordinary artistic talent and profound cultural heritage since childhood. Influenced by his family, he embarked on the challenging and glorious path of music, dedicating his entire life to the art of piano and education.
As a pianist, Professor Guo Zhihong’s unique performance style and exquisite skills were deeply loved and admired by audiences both domestically and internationally. His performances allowed people to feel endless warmth and strength in the ocean of music. Not only did his performances showcase the charm of piano art, but they also conveyed a love for life and a longing for a better future.
As a composer, Professor Guo Zhihong created a large number of excellent musical works. These works not only possessed distinct national characteristics but also incorporated elements of modern music, demonstrating his profound skills and unique perspective in musical composition. His musical works, like shining pearls, are embedded in the history of Chinese music, leaving a valuable cultural heritage for future generations.
Guo Zhihong once shared in an interview before his passing, “I was born in Japan in 1932 and spent my early years in a war environment as a ‘war child’. Following the Japanese tradition of valuing education, my mother (whose Chinese name was Guo Anna) allowed my sister and me to learn piano despite the difficulties. I started learning piano at the age of five, first taught by my elder brother who could play the violin, and later by a female teacher named Tanaka, a graduate of the Ueno Music School. Thus, I learned for about four years from 1937 to 1941. It was a time of war, and the sound of piano and exploding bombs were very discordant. We lived in Chiba Prefecture, just across a river from Tokyo. If we were in Tokyo, it would have been impossible to hear the sound of the piano.”
Guo Zhihong recalled, “I left Japan in 1948, first going to Taiwan, then to Hong Kong, living a nomadic life until I returned to Beijing in March 1949. After returning, I entered the Political Department of Hua Bei University (now Renmin University of China) to study politics, Marxism-Leninism, and Mao Zedong’s works.”
Guo Zhihong also shared in his recollections, “In May 1950, as one of the earliest cadres transferred, I entered the Piano Department of the Central Conservatory of Music, studying under Mr. Hong Shiquan. Soon after, Mr. Hong participated in the land reform, and I then studied under Mr. Zhu Gongyi. Later, I became a graduate student in the class of Professor Taturian, a Soviet expert. Kravchenko also taught me. From 1958 to the early 1960s, the slogan was ‘three transformations’ (revolutionization, nationalization, and popularization), strongly advocating for national teaching materials. There were requirements, arrangements, and measures, and a textbook compilation and creation group consisting of Chu Wanghua, Liu Shikun, and me was established. We went to the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region and other places to experience life. I taught while compiling textbooks, and many piano arrangements were written during that time. From 1973 to 1976, I was temporarily transferred to the Central Philharmonic Orchestra’s creation group to participate in the composition of the piano concerto ‘Battling the Typhoon’. In 1978, I held a solo piano recital at the Central Conservatory of Music. In 1980, I went to Japan to participate in some celebratory events and performed with the Ichikawa City Symphony Orchestra. Later, several cities invited me to perform. EMI Records invited me to be a consultant, and the ‘Konishi Foundation’ invited me to be a committee member. With the support of this foundation, I recorded and released three sets of albums, featuring collaborations between piano and small orchestras, respectively representing the musical styles of Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Yunnan. In 1989, at the invitation of Dean Wu Zuqiang, I officially returned to teach in the Piano Department of the Central Conservatory of Music.”