Bruce (Xiaoyu) Liu
He shot to global attention in 2021, winning the 18th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw. That success brought a new stage in the young artist’s career – a time of intense concert work around the world, including at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris, BOZAR in Brussels, City Opera in Tokyo, São Paulo Hall and Vienna Musikverein, with such ensembles as the Wiener Symphoniker, Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra, Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, NHK Symphony Orchestra of Tokyo and Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. Before the Chopin Competition, he had already performed with the Cleveland Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and NCPA Orchestra of China (on a North American tour). His forthcoming plans include concerts with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, a US tour with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, a European tour with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, and appearances as numerous festivals: La Roque d’Anthéron, Rheingau, ‘Chopin and his Europe’, Riga Jurmala, Duszniki, and Martha Argerich’s festival at the Teatro Cólon in Buenos Aires. Immediately after the Chopin Competition, Deutsche Grammophon, in collaboration with the Fryderyk Chopin Institute, released Liu’s first disc, featuring a selection of his competition recordings, which was Gramophone magazine’s ‘Critics’ Choice’ and ‘Editor’s Choice’. A month later, the Chopin Institute released his other competition recordings, including the concerto finale. The two albums together fully document his triumphant path to victory in the world’s most important piano competition.
‘What we all have in common is our difference’, as this young pianist states. Born in Paris into a Chinese family, he was brought up in Montreal. From a very young age, his multi-cultural environment shaped his personality, character and worldview. Full of openness and optimism, in his artistic work he draws inspiration from the finest sources of the cultural heritage of Europe, China and North America. He studied with Richard Raymond, and is currently a pupil of Dang Thai Son, who prepared him for the Chopin Competition.
[2022]