Liu Xiaoyu, a young Chinese, won the Chopin International Piano Competition

Source: People's Daily Overseas Edition

Liu Xiaoyu, a young Chinese pianist in Canada, played Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1 at the 18th Chopin International Piano Competition. Profile picture

"Playing Chopin in Warsaw, Poland, is one of the best things I can imagine, and I'm really honored to receive this award, and of course, thanks to the trust of the judges and all the warmth I've gained in recent days." In the early morning of October 21, local time in Warsaw, when he learned that he won the 18th Chopin International Piano Competition, Liu Xiaoyu, a young Chinese pianist in Canada, said.

The Chopin International Piano Competition is one of the most famous piano competitions in the world, known as the "Piano Olympics". The competition began in 1927 and was held every 5 years at the Warsaw Philharmonic Hall in warsaw, the capital of Poland, the hometown of the famous musician Chopin. Originally scheduled to be held in 2020, the competition was postponed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was held from October 2 to 20 this year, with 87 players from 18 countries and regions participating.

Liu Xiaoyu once said: "I dream of being on the stage of chopin's international piano competition. This time, he not only stepped on the stage of his dreams, but also won the championship, adding a lot of color to his life.

Liu Xiaoyu, a 24-year-old Chinese pianist born in Paris, France, grew up in Montreal, Canada, and graduated from the Montreal Conservatory of Music. Before winning the championship of this year's Chopin International Piano Competition, Liu Xiaoyu has won awards in several famous international piano competitions. At the age of 15, he won the European International Art Prize, which attracted international attention for the first time. In recent years, he has also won places in many international competitions, such as the Sendai International Piano Competition, the Montreal International Piano Competition, and the Vichau International Piano Competition.

Although Liu Xiaoyu is young, his performance footprint has spread all over the world, and he has performed in China, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Poland, Portugal, Israel, Russia, El Salvador, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United States and other countries. As a soloist, he has toured North America with the National Centre for the Performing Arts Symphony Orchestra of China and has also performed with major orchestras such as the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, the Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra, the Jerusalem Cameleta Symphony Orchestra, and the American Symphony Orchestra.

Currently, Liu Xiaoyu is a student of the famous pianist Deng Taishan, who won the gold medal and a series of special awards at the 10th Chopin International Piano Competition, and he is also the first Asian to win the grand prize of the highest international piano competition in the West. Being able to learn from such an excellent teacher, Liu Xiaoyu's strength should not be underestimated. The famous piano educator Ali Wadi commented: "Liu Xiaoyu's performance is incredibly perfect. Canada's National Post called his performance an interpretation of "subtle French colours and feels."

(According to China Overseas Chinese Network)