My Grandpa Yi-Kwei Sze
“When an old man dies, a library burns to the ground.” That saying perfectly captured what I felt—not just sadness, but a deep sense of loss—when I heard the news of my grandpa, Yi-Kwei Sze, passing away. Over twenty years have gone by since then, and now I find myself worrying that even more of him will slip away—the precious, fragile memories I have of him. This page is my attempt to preserve those memories and gather as much of him as I can before they fade.
A few years ago, the San Francisco Opera House published an article about him titled “Whoever Heard of a Chinese Bass? A Granddaughter’s Memories of Boundary-Breaking Performer Yi-Kwei Sze.” As his granddaughter, I was honored to share some of my memories for the piece.
American countertenor, coach, teacher, and writer Daniel Gundlach created the most remarkable program about my grandfather. Through it, I not only gained a deep understanding of the art of singing, but also a profound appreciation for how he overcame the cultural and racial barriers of his time. As an Asian American, he achieved groundbreaking success in a field where few, if any, had managed to do so before him, despite the pervasive racism of that era. It’s clear that Daniel conducted extensive research—if you listen closely, there’s even a mention of me!
You can check it out here:
Most of his recordings online are audio-only, but there’s a rare video recording that I believe was made in the 1970s. Meeting him as a child during his visit to China in the early 1980s was a profound privilege I’ll always cherish.
This is the first song where his vocal talent truly emerged in the 1940s: 教我如何不想她? – How Not to Think About Her?. The original lyrics, written by 刘半农, are in Chinese. After I translated them into English, my daughter, Irene Jiang—a gifted writer—refined and edited the text to bring it to life:
