'I started playing the violin when I was four, for about three months. But when the Cultural Revolution happened, I stopped playing. It wasn't appropriate to study western arts, so the violin had to be put on hold. I took it up again seriously when I was seven. Since I was little I'd always wanted to be a violinist. My mother had a big influence - she was an artist, a singer and a dancer. She wanted me to pursue a career in the field, too.
Because I travel so much, I often wake up in a different time zone or I'm recovering from having been in one. All the travelling can take its toll on my body, but I feel lucky to have the opportunity to see so much and experience playing in different cities around the world. When I'm at home, in Chicago, my morning routine really depends on the night before. I can wake as early as 6.30am or at around 11am. Sometimes I'll practise until 3am, in which case I'll sleep later.
When I wake up I practise the violin. It takes about 40 minutes and enables me to stretch my fingers. I can't play games like basketball, tennis or ping pong as I have to make sure my fingers are in good condition for playing. I do enjoy playing snooker, though.
After practice I have a shower. I'm not one of those people who eats breakfast often so I usually have
a glass of milk. I then launch into practising. I can get very hot and sweaty when I play at home, which means I often do so wearing pyjamas or shorts and a T-shirt.
It's not unusual for me to change what I'm wearing three or four times a day, purely because the practice sessions get sweaty.
