Where the Heart Finds a Home: A Percussionist’s Story in Chengdu

As autumn chill sets in, the dawn redwood groves of Chengdu’s Bailuwan Wetland Park blush with warm amber hues. Leaves rustle in the breeze like nature’s own metronome, while on a platform in the lake, Belarusian percussionist Anton Zhdanovich conjures rhythmic improvisations from his drum. In this moment, beats and breeze, artist and city, resonate in poetic harmony.

“Chengdu offers a rare sense of rootedness”, reflects Anton. His journey—from Belarus through studies in the Czech Republic, Belgium, and Italy, then to Suzhou (China)—culminated here, where he and his Moldovan wife have anchored their lives in this “inclusive yet vibrant” city. “It has the unhurried charm of Europe fused with Asian dynamism. We’ve found our home,” He says. “I love the pace of life here; the contrasts between districts enthrall me—from the modern bustle of the southern districts to the fusion of heritage and innovation downtown. Every crossing feels like a miniature voyage”.

At Sichuan Symphony Orchestra, Anton collaborates with musicians from a dozen nations—the Czech Republic, the U.S., Thailand, Japan, Venezuela, and beyond. This global environment reveals Chengdu’s potential as a “City of Music”: “Here we perform everything from Baroque to Mahler, Western classics to Chinese compositions—a breadth unimaginable in most European ensembles”.

He recalls performing Minoru Miki’s piece Marimba Spiritual with particular warmth. “I feared audiences might resist contemporary works, but their rapt engagement moved me profoundly. Chengdu listens to novel voices with open ears”.

During their three years in Chengdu, Anton and his wife have filled their free time with fitness, go-kart racing, and occasional hikes or walks in the hills.
In Chengdu, Anton has found rhythm in concert-hall precision, adrenaline on go-kart track, and serenity in parks. Chengdu affords him the grace to pursue acoustic exploration with professional rigor while savoring leisurely ease in daily life.

Source: HomeinChengdu