Xian xinghai biography of william hamilton

In China, he is remembered as Xian Xinghai, one of the country's greatest composers; in Kazakhstan, he was known as Huang Xun, a refugee with remarkable talent; in Singapore and France, he was Sinn Sing Hol, a poor student with insatiable passion for music. Wherever he went, whichever name he took, his music gave people courage and strength to fight against fascist invaders in the World War II.

Chinese President Xi Jinping told the composer's story in his first state visit to Kazakhstan in Based on that true story, The Composer, a movie launched in Chinese cinemas on Friday, tugged at the heartstrings of numerous viewers. Forced to abort his mission and evacuate, he tried to return home through a southern part of Soviet Union, today's Kazakhstan, only to find the borders closed.

He was left alone in the Kazakh city of Almaty where he knew no one and had no place to stay.

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The composer was sitting on his suitcase with a violin in hand when Kazakh musician Bakhytzhan Baikadamov first spotted him. Baikadamov spoke Kazakh and Russian, the composer responded in English and French. So my father just took his hand and led him to us," Baldyrgan Baikadamova, daughter of Baikadamov recounted the fateful encounter. Hence began the friendship of two legendary composers of two great nations.

Together they overcame the war time hardships and wrote a new chapter in the history of music," Baikadamova told Kazakh media.