Ji Liu (pianist)

Ji Liu (Chinese: 刘骅骐骥; pinyin: liú huá qí jì, born 1990) is a Chinese concert pianist, recording artist, and published composer[1] currently based in London.

Ji Liu
Background information
Born1990 (age 29–30)
China
GenresClassical
Occupation(s)
Labels
  • Classic FM
  • Global Radio
Websitewww.jipianist.com

Career

Ji Liu was born in China to a family with an interest in music, where his mother played guitar and his father played the trumpet, although his parents were not professional musicians.[2] He expressed an interest in learning the piano at age 3.[2] He subsequently began piano and music lessons, and undertook formal studies at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music in piano and conducting.

At age 13, Ji won the 6th Pinault piano competition in New York City in 2003, which subsequently led to his debut recital at Carnegie Hall.[2] In 2004, he earned Second Prize in the 11th International Music Competition Jeunesses Musicales in Bucharest, and First Prize in the Ludmila Knezkova-Hussey International Piano Competition in Canada. Upon completion of his studies in Shanghai, he then moved to Europe, and became a pupil of Dmitri Bashkirov at the Escuela Superior de Musica Reina Sofia in Madrid.[2] In 2007, Ji moved to London, having received a full scholarship to continue his Bachelor of Music focusing on Piano Performance with Prof. Christopher Elton and Composition with Ruth Byrchmore at the Royal Academy of Music (RAM). During his studies at the RAM, he received the RAMs Club Prize. In 2010, he won First Prize in the Sheepdrove Piano Competition. In 2013, he graduated from the RAM with a Master of Music with both a Distinction and a DipRAM.

Ji has recorded Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue with James Watson and the Royal Academy of Music's Symphonic Brass Ensemble on the RAMs own label, in an album released in November 2010. In 2014, he released his solo debut album Piano Reflections.[3][4][5] He released a follow-up album, Piano Encores, in early 2015. Ji Liu’s compositions and arrangements are published by Master Music Publications.[6][7] He made his debut at the Royal Albert Hall performing Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in 2014. [8] In 2016, he world premiered Ludovico Einaudi's Piano Concerto "Domino" with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.[9] In 2017, he performed at Classic FM's 25th birthday concert in the presence of Their Royal Highnesses, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall from Dumfries House. [10]

Outside of music, Ji’s hobbies include breakdancing.[11]

Awards

In 2005 and 2006, Ji took part in the Verbier Festival & Academy in Switzerland, where he received the Tabor Piano Award and CUBS Prize from UBS Bank. He returned to the Verbier Festival in 2017. From 2008 to 2012, he was the recipient of the Martin Musical Award from the Philharmonia Orchestra. In 2010, he was awarded the Audience Prize of the Friends of RAM Wigmore Award, and was selected by the International Holland Music Session in the Netherlands for their 'New Masters on Tour' Series. In 2011, he was an award recipient from the Yamaha Music Foundation of Europe. Over the period 2011-2014, he was a recipient of several Hattori Foundation awards. He became the youngest ever first prize winner at Brant International Pianoforte Competition in Birmingham. He was selected as a Young Classical Artists Trust (YCAT) artist in 2013.[12] He was awarded Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM) in 2019. [13]

Albums

• American Icons (2011) - Gershwin, Rhapsody in Blue, with Royal Academy of Music Symphonic Brass and James Watson
• Piano Reflections (2014)
• Piano Encores (2015)
• Pure Chopin (2016)
• Fire & Water (2018)

Compositions & Arrangements

Compositions for Solo Piano
  • Opera Moment No. 1 (2019)[14]
  • Étude No. 1 (2018)[15]
  • "DNA" Sonata (2012)[16]
  • "Homage to Schubert" Sonata (2011)
  • Fugue (2009)
  • Étude for left hand alone (2006)

Arrangements for Solo Piano
  • Rachmaninov Spring Waters Op. 14 No. 11 (2017)[17][18]
  • Paraphrase on a theme of "A Way of Life" (2011)

Chamber Music
  • Sonata for 2 pianos and 2 computer keyboards (2012)
  • tre pezzi per oboe e pianoforte (2011)
    1. Silenzio
    2. conflito
    3. arcobaleno
  • Rhapsody for violin and piano (2010)

Small Ensemble
  • 12 Transcendental ETudes for sinfonietta “Mathful！”（2012）
    1. π
    2. =
    3. ≠
    4. <
    5. >
    6. ∞
    7. ⊆
    8. x
    9. y
    10. ‖
    11. ⊥
    12. ∵

For voice
  • “Snowflake”, Pop-Song for voice and midi devices (2010)

References
  1. "Ji Liu". Master Music Publications. 2018-09-18. Retrieved 2019-07-04.
  2. Daniel Gumble (2014-04-08). "Interview: Classical pianist Ji Liu". Musical Instrument Professional. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-08-24.
  3. "Ji Liu's album hits top spot in Classical Chart". King's College London Student News. 2014-02-14. Retrieved 2014-08-23.
  4. "Ji Liu makes the music speak for itself". Pianist Magazine. 2014-05-26. Archived from the original on 2014-08-23. Retrieved 2015-02-12.
  5. Jed Distler (August 2014). "Piano Reflections". Gramophone. Retrieved 2015-02-12.
  6. Master Music Publications (June 2019). "Master Music Publications". Retrieved 2019-06-23.
  7. Ji Liu (Sep 2018). "Ji Liu Announces New Collaboration with Master Music Publications". Retrieved 2019-06-23.
  8. "Ji Liu: 'Gershwin is glamorous!'". Classic FM. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  9. "Einaudi's Domino effect at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  10. "Classic FM's 25th Birthday Celebrations from Dumfries House". Classic FM. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  11. Anne-Marie Marshall (2014-01-24). "Ji Liu on Piano Reflections and breakdancing". Classic FM Magazine. Retrieved 2014-08-23.
  12. "2013 YCAT Artists Announced". Young Classical Artists Trust (Press release). 22 January 2014. Retrieved 2014-08-23.
  13. "Ji Liu". ArtSavesUs. Art Saves Us. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  14. Publications, Master Music (2020-04-29). "Opera Moment No. 1 Composed by Ji Liu Sheet Music". mastermusicpublications.com. Retrieved 2020-05-02.
  15. "Étude No. 1 Composed by Ji Liu". Master Music Publications. 2018-10-12. Retrieved 2019-07-04.
  16. "DNA Sonata for Solo Piano Composed by Ji Liu (Pre-Order)". Master Music Publications. 2018-12-15. Retrieved 2019-07-04.
  17. "Rachmaninov's 'Spring Waters' Op. 14 No. 11 Arranged for Solo Piano by Ji Liu". Master Music Publications. 2019-07-14. Retrieved 2019-07-23.
  18. Master Music Publications (2019-07-17), Professional Concert Pianist Plays Rachmaninov Spring Waters Arranged for Solo Piano, retrieved 2019-07-23
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.