Canadian Bruce Liu wins prestigious international piano competition
Share
WARSAW, Poland -
Bruce (Xiaoyu) Liu of Canada was named early Thursday as the winner of the 40,000-euro ($45,000) first prize in the 18th Frederic Chopin international piano competition, a prestigious event that launches pianists' world careers.
The announcement from the jury came just hours after Liu played as the last entrant among the 12 finalists, performing Chopin's concerto in E minor, opus 11 with the orchestra at the packed National Philharmonic in Warsaw. His inspired performance was met with huge applause.
"Oh my god. I don't know what to say, honestly," Liu said after being name winner.
"We have been dreaming with all these people here for this prestigious stage," the 24-year-old born in Paris said in English.
"Being able to play Chopin in Warsaw is one of the best things you can imagine, of course, so I'm truly honored for this award, of course, and for this jury's trust and for all the warmth I have received in recent days," Liu said.
The second prize and 30,000 euros ($35,000) went jointly to Alexander Gadjiev, representing Italy and Slovenia, and Kyohei Sorita of Japan. Gadjiev also won Krystian Zimerman's prize of 10,000 euros ($11,800) for the best sonata performance.
The third prize of 20,000 euros ($23,000) was awarded to Martin Garcia Garcia of Spain, who also won the 5,000 euros ($5,800) prize for best concerto performance.
The fourth prize and 15,000 euros ($17,000) was shared by Aimi Kobayashi of Japan and Poland's Jakub Kuszlik, who also won best mazurka performance prize and 5,000 euros. Italy's Leonora Armellini was awarded the fifth prize of 10,000 euros ($11,600), while the sixth prize and 7,000 euros ($8,000) went to Canada's J.J. Jun Li Bui.
The first prize was funded by the office of Poland's president, and other prizes were funded by the government, state culture institutions and by private individuals.
High ranking in the renowned competition opens the world's top concert halls to the pianists and paves the way to recordings with best known record companies.
Jury head Katarzyna Popowa-Zydron said after the announcement that the level of the pianists was very high and made the award decisions very hard for the 17 jurors. She called the participants "wonderful young people."
During the competition, she had said that apart from being excellent pianists, the participants should also show sensitivity and bring freshness to the music.
"I try to look for a rapport between the performer and Chopin," Popowa-Zydron said in an interview. Music is a "message from a person, and (the musicians) should know what kind of person Chopin was."
Bowing to their artistry, the jury allowed two more finalists this year than usual. The competition, held every five years, was postponed from 2020 due to the pandemic.
Among previous winners are Maurizio Pollini of Italy, Argentina's Martha Argerich, Garrick Ohlsson from the United States, Poland's Krystian Zimerman and Rafal Blechacz, and Seong-Jin Cho of South Korea.
Chopin, Poland's best known and beloved classical music composer and pianist, was born in 1810 in Zelazowa Wola near Warsaw to a Polish mother and a French father. He left Poland at 19 to broaden his musical education in Vienna and then in Paris, where he settled, composing, giving concerts and teaching the piano. He died on Oct. 17, 1849, in Paris and is buried at the Pere Lachaise cemetery. His heart is at the Holy Cross Church in Warsaw.
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial took the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.
Police have released a three-dimensional image of a young child whose remains were discovered in the Grand River in Dunnville, Ont. almost two years ago.
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris used a profanity on Monday while offering advice to young Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders about how to break through barriers.
New research out of London, Ont.’s Western University is shedding light on a potential cure for ALS, in which the targeting of the interaction between two proteins can halt or fully reverse the disease’s progression.
A Vancouver Canucks defenceman has been suspended for a game and another was handed a hefty fine after a scrum broke out at the end of Game 3 against the Edmonton Oilers Sunday night.
'Judge Judy' Sheindlin sued the parent company of the National Enquirer and InTouch Weekly on Monday for a story that she said falsely claimed that she was trying to help the Menendez brothers get a retrial after they were convicted of murdering their parents.
An Ontario Superior Court judge has ruled that the City of Ottawa was negligent in its enforcement of the city's taxi bylaw when it allowed Uber to begin operating in 2014, harming the city's established taxi industry.
Security video caught admitted serial killer Jeremy Skibicki on multiple late-night outings, disposing of body parts in nearby garbage bins and dumpsters in the middle of the night.
A wildfire burning dangerously close to Fort Nelson, B.C., has grown to more than 50 square kilometres, and officials are warning that the blaze's behaviour is expected to become more volatile over the next 48 hours.
One of two men wanted for attempted murder in Timmins has been arrested, while a warrant has been issued for a second suspect, who fled police on foot.
An Ontario Superior Court judge has ruled that the City of Ottawa was negligent in its enforcement of the city's taxi bylaw when it allowed Uber to begin operating in 2014, harming the city's established taxi industry.
A billboard has collapsed and killed three people and injured 59 in India's financial capital, Mumbai, in thunderstorms and heavy rain, the Press Trust of India reported Monday.
Over the weekend, Russian President Vladimir Putin replaced the longest serving member of his Cabinet in a rare Kremlin shuffle that took place at a key moment in the Ukraine war.
Aid workers struggled Monday to distribute dwindling food and other supplies to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced by what Israel says is a limited military operation in Rafah, as the two main crossings near the southern Gaza city remained closed.
A truck driver accused of intentionally killing a police officer during a traffic stop on a Utah highway had been holding a woman against her will inside the cab of his truck, new court documents reveal.
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris used a profanity on Monday while offering advice to young Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders about how to break through barriers.
A parliamentary committee is outlining ways the federal government can better prepare for the impact of artificial intelligence on the Canadian labour force.
As his criminal trial got underway Monday, 'Freedom Convoy' organizer Pat King pleaded not guilty to a list of nine charges related to the major protest that paralyzed downtown Ottawa in 2022.
Canada’s foreign affairs minister is embarking on a five-day trip to the Middle East and the Mediterranean where she will focus on peacekeeping and aid.
New research out of London, Ont.’s Western University is shedding light on a potential cure for ALS, in which the targeting of the interaction between two proteins can halt or fully reverse the disease’s progression.
A new study projecting declining rates of cancer cases and deaths in Canada demonstrates the success of prevention and early detection programs, but also highlights areas where more work is needed to save and prolong lives, researchers say.
The United Conservative Party says it has gathered a panel of medical experts for a town hall meeting next month that's expected to discuss the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in children.
'Judge Judy' Sheindlin sued the parent company of the National Enquirer and InTouch Weekly on Monday for a story that she said falsely claimed that she was trying to help the Menendez brothers get a retrial after they were convicted of murdering their parents.
The fictitious Crawley family and their servants running a sprawling English country estate in the early 20th century are returning for a third 'Downton Abbey' movie, which will feature old and new faces.
Melinda French Gates will step down as co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the non-profit she and her ex-husband Bill Gates founded and built into one of the world's largest philanthropic organizations over the past 20 years.
Kraft Heinz is exploring a sale of its Oscar Mayer meats business that could fetch up to to US$5 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the matter.
An Ontario Superior Court judge has ruled that the City of Ottawa was negligent in its enforcement of the city's taxi bylaw when it allowed Uber to begin operating in 2014, harming the city's established taxi industry.
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
When it comes to gardening, a lot of questions come up, including the best way to keep pets away from plants, maintaining your lawn and keeping the dandelions at bay.
When I was knee-deep in the early years of parenting, dishes piled up, laundry was rarely folded, and Whole Foods did a fair amount of the cooking for me.
A Vancouver Canucks defenceman has been suspended for a game and another was handed a hefty fine after a scrum broke out at the end of Game 3 against the Edmonton Oilers Sunday night.
New York City FC coach Nick Cushing has repeated his denial of allegations that he punched a Toronto FC player, saying he is shocked and upset at the claim.
Amazon's self-driving robotaxi unit is being investigated by the U.S. government's highway safety agency after two of its vehicles braked suddenly and were rear-ended by motorcyclists.
The Biden administration plans to impose major new tariffs on electric vehicles, semiconductors, solar equipment and medical supplies imported from China, according to a U.S. official and another person familiar with the plan.
Two daughters and a mother were reunited online 40 years later thanks to a DNA kit and a Zoom connection despite living on three separate continents and speaking different languages.
A Listowel, Ont. man, drafted by the Hamilton Tigercats last week, is also getting looks from the NFL, despite only playing 27 games of football in his life.
A small Ajax dessert shop that recently received a glowing review from celebrity food critic Keith Lee is being forced to move after a zoning complaint was made following the social media influencer’s visit last month.
The Canada Science and Technology Museum is inviting visitors to explore their poop. A new exhibition opens at the Ottawa museum on Friday called, 'Oh Crap! Rethinking human waste.'
A Vancouver Canucks defenceman has been suspended for a game and another was handed a hefty fine after a scrum broke out at the end of Game 3 against the Edmonton Oilers Sunday night.
Thousands of hectares of land in northeastern B.C. are burning from holdover fires, with officials saying persistent drought conditions through the winter and a challenging wildfire season last year have "amplified" challenges for crews.
A wildfire burning dangerously close to Fort Nelson, B.C., has grown to more than 50 square kilometres, and officials are warning that the blaze's behaviour is expected to become more volatile over the next 48 hours.
Subway service is expected to remain suspended through the afternoon rush on a portion of Line 2 due to a hydraulic oil leak that was first detected on Monday morning.
Police have released a three-dimensional image of a young child whose remains were discovered in the Grand River in Dunnville, Ont. almost two years ago.
The United Conservative Party says it has gathered a panel of medical experts for a town hall meeting next month that's expected to discuss the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in children.
Calgary police have laid more than a dozen charges against a man alleged to be responsible for several break-and-enters at businesses throughout the city.
An Ontario Superior Court judge has ruled that the City of Ottawa was negligent in its enforcement of the city's taxi bylaw when it allowed Uber to begin operating in 2014, harming the city's established taxi industry.
Lawyers for Montreal's McGill University are in court this morning seeking an injunction to dismantle the pro-Palestinian encampment that has been on its downtown campus since last month.
A man was injured when he was attacked while walking his dog earlier this month. The 55-year-old man was reportedly attacked by a man and woman with what appeared to be a knife and a machete.
The Crown will decide if they will ask to consolidate the charges among the four accused in the death of 16-year-old Ahmad Al Marrach in Halifax sometime this week.
Security video caught admitted serial killer Jeremy Skibicki on multiple late-night outings, disposing of body parts in nearby garbage bins and dumpsters in the middle of the night.
Marc Mueller has plenty of football experience as a player and a coach – but he's taking on a new role in the Canadian Football League (CFL) this year as an offensive coordinator.
One of two men wanted for attempted murder in Timmins has been arrested, while a warrant has been issued for a second suspect, who fled police on foot.
A 29-year-old Timmins man is charged with impaired driving in a single-vehicle crash on Highway 144 near Greater Sudbury that sent two children to hospital by air ambulance Saturday.
Parts of Grey-Bruce and Huron-Perth find themselves under a severe thunderstorm watch Monday afternoon, with the possibility of strong wind gusts, large hail, heavy rain, and an isolated tornado threat.
New research out of London, Ont.’s Western University is shedding light on a potential cure for ALS, in which the targeting of the interaction between two proteins can halt or fully reverse the disease’s progression.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and various federal ministers were in St. Thomas Monday to announce more than $200 million for child care spaces in Ontario. The stop at the YMCA Station View Child Care Centre comes as the national child care program continues to face unexpected challenges.
Provincial police are warning the public about water safety following an incident where two adults and two children ended up in the chilly Muskoka River near Holditch Street in Bracebridge.
Chatham-Kent Police Service is recommending 35 additional closed-circuit television (CCTV) systems in several downtown areas at Chatham-Kent council Monday evening.
A wildfire burning dangerously close to Fort Nelson, B.C., has grown to more than 50 square kilometres, and officials are warning that the blaze's behaviour is expected to become more volatile over the next 48 hours.
A Vancouver Canucks defenceman has been suspended for a game and another was handed a hefty fine after a scrum broke out at the end of Game 3 against the Edmonton Oilers Sunday night.
After four targeted shootings in four days, Mounties in Kamloops are taking the unusual step of warning the public about two men they believe are likely to be targeted in future violent incidents.
A 22-year-old man from the Greater Toronto Area is facing drug trafficking charges after police in northwestern Ontario seized $700,000 in drugs during raid.
Ontario Provincial Police are facing tough questions about their search for a missing Newfoundland trucker whose rig was found two weeks ago in Ontario, then sent back to Newfoundland, where his body was found Monday in the trailer.