Liu Shikun

Liu Shikun (simplified Chinese: 刘诗昆; traditional Chinese: 劉詩昆; pinyin: Liú Shīkūn; born March 8, 1939) is a Chinese pianist and composer.

Liu Shikun
刘诗昆
Born (1939-03-08) March 8, 1939
China
OriginBeijing, Moscow
Occupation(s)Pianist, composer
InstrumentsPiano
Years active1944–present
This is a Chinese name; the family name is Liu.

He began his piano training at the age of three[1] and started publicly performing by the age of five. He won third prize and the Special Prize of the Liszt International Piano Competition in Budapest in 1956 and was awarded a strand of Franz Liszt's hair. In 1958, he shared with Lev Vlassenko the second prize in the First Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition in Moscow.[2][3]

Liu became one of China's top concert performers until 1966, when the Cultural Revolution and the Gang of Four attacked the country; Western music was banned and, along with thousands of other artists, Liu was arrested. He stayed in prison for eight years.[4][2]

Liu studied at Beijing's Central Conservatory of Music and graduated from the Moscow Conservatory of Music.[3]

References
  1. "Liu Shikun: Don't Wish to Be a Mozart When Playing Piano". China.org.cn. 2006-08-02. Retrieved 2012-01-04.
  2. Trelawny, Petroc (2008-06-05). "Programmes | From Our Own Correspondent | China's love affair with the piano". BBC News. Retrieved 2012-01-04.
  3. "Liu Shikun - International Piano Competition Shanghai, China". Csipc.org. Archived from the original on 2011-01-15. Retrieved 2012-01-04.
  4. Jennes, Gail (1979-04-16). "Pianist Liu Shih-Kun Wins Bravos in Boston After Years of Forced Silence in a Peking Prison". People.com. Retrieved 2012-01-25.


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