Czech President Miloš Zeman Plays Piano for Chinese Leader Xi Jinping

The Czech president regaled a crowd at the China International Import Expo yesterday that included Jinping and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev

Jason Pirodsky

Written by Jason Pirodsky Published on 06.11.2018 09:13:14 (updated on 06.11.2018) Reading time: 1 minute

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via Facebook / Jiří Ovčáček
via Facebook / Jiří Ovčáček
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Move over, Mozart: there’s a new Piano Man in town.

Czech President Miloš Zeman displayed a rarely-seen musical talent yesterday with an impromptu piano performance while attending the China International Import Expo (CIIE).

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At the CIIE, an inaugural Shanghai-hosted fair focused on global commerce, the President introduced a Czech pavillion that included local products like the new Škoda Kodiaq, Lobkowicz beer, and Marlenka honey cakes.

And in video posted to social media by Czech Press Spokesperson Jiří Ovčáček, Zeman is seen regaling a crowd at the conference that includes Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev with his virtuoso piano skills:

That’s Sentimental Journey, in case you’re unfamiliar with the classics, which Ovčáček cites as the President’s favorite piece.

While the President’s musical talents haven’t been witnessed by the public previously, Zeman told Tyden in a 2010 interview that in his youth he was a “child prodigy on the piano.”

How did Zeman do yesterday?

Here’s the original, oft-covered version of Sentimental Journey by the Les Brown Band, with Doris Day on vocals, for comparison:

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