Ji Liu (pianist)

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. He expressed an interest in learning the piano at age 3. 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. 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. 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. He released a follow-up album, Piano Encores, in early 2015.

Outside of music, Ji s hobbies include breakdancing.

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.

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)

For solo keyboard instrument

For chamber music

For small ensemble

For voice