With a stage name inspired by a martial arts icon and karting as a hobby, Bruce Liu is full of surprises. Just like his incredibly colourful piano playing, which has catapulted him into the top ranks of the classical music world.
Bruce Liu was born in Paris and grew up in Canada, but it was not least his Asian roots that shaped him. "I realise that the history of China - Confucianism, Taoism - is in my blood. But I am also closely connected to European culture through my profession." His touch definitely has a French vein, is elegant and incredibly light, while a haunting tension simmers beneath the surface. Excellent prerequisites for Tchaikovsky's first piano concerto, which covers all emotional states from sensitive tenderness to an almost uncontrollable outburst of energy. . In the second half of the concert, this emotional palette is complemented by a magnificent orchestral colour palette: in Modest Mussorgsky's powerful Pictures at an Exhibition.
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Bruce Liu, piano, cond.: Kazuki Yamada
William Walton: Orb and Sceptre; Pyotr Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor op. 23; Modest Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition (Source: KTK Heinersdorff)
