Hill Auditorium
Bruce Liu, piano
Early access for renewing subscribers
starts Tue Apr 28
“Liu can do the impeccable glitter, but his playing is more than pyrotechnics. It is powerful, polished, and emanates from a disciplined mind.” (The Telegram)
Not yet 30, Bruce Liu, the First Prize winner of the 2021 International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw, has become a worldwide sensation and one of the most compelling pianists of his generation. A musician praised for his dazzling technique, his curiosity, and artistry that combines “nimble versatility” (The New York Times) and “playing of breathtaking beauty” (BBC Music Magazine), the Paris-born, Montreal-raised Liu makes his UMS debut with a wide-ranging program. “You don’t always know where Bruce Liu is taking you,” says ResMusica, a French classical music and dance publication, “but you feel compelled to follow him.”
Program
György Ligeti Etude No. 4: Fanfares
Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 14 in c-sharp minor, Op. 27, No. 2 (“Moonlight”)
Frédéric Chopin Nocturnes, Op. 27, Nos. 1 and 2
Maurice Ravel Alborada del Gracioso (from Miroirs)
Claude Debussy Rêverie, L. 68
Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 21 in C Major, Op. 53 (“Waldstein”)
Federico Mompou Glossa sobre Au clair de la lune
Isaac Albéniz “El Puerto” from Iberia
Franz Liszt Rhapsodie espagnole, S. 254, R. 90
Buy Tickets
Bruce Liu, piano
Hill Auditorium
Season tickets on sale Tue May 5
Early access for renewing subscribers
starts Tue Apr 28
CHOOSE A PERFORMANCE:
Or call the ticket office at 734-764-2538
* Student, Senior and Group Discounts may be available
First Prize winner of the 18th International Chopin Piano Competition 2021 in Warsaw, Bruce Liu has emerged as one of the most compelling pianists of his generation — a musician praised not only for his dazzling technique, but for his curiosity and artistry that combines “nimble versatility” (The New York Times) and “playing of breathtaking beauty” (BBC Music Magazine).
In high demand as a soloist, he has recently performed with many of the world’s finest ensembles including the Boston Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Bavarian Radio Symphony, and Wiener Symphoniker, and with conductors including Manfred Honeck, Paavo Järvi, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Sir Antonio Pappano, Lahav Shani, and Dalia Stasevska.
A distinguished recitalist, Liu has performed at major concert halls such as the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Carnegie Hall, and Philharmonie de Paris. In 2025/26, he gives recital debuts at the Berliner Philharmonie and Lyon Opera House, and returns to Carnegie Hall, Wiener Musikverein, and major venues in Italy and Japan. He appears at various international festivals, including Edinburgh, Klavier-Festival Ruhr, Verbier, La Roque-d’Anthéron, Rheingau, Aspen, and Tanglewood Music Festivals.
An exclusive recording artist with Deutsche Grammophon, Liu was awarded Opus Klassik’s ‘Young Talent of the Year’ prize 2024 for his debut studio album ‘Waves’. His second studio album, featuring Tchaikovsky’s Seasons, was released in November 2024, receiving rave reviews and praised for its “fresh music-making unadorned by superficial virtuosity.” (Gramophone).
Born in Paris and raised in Montréal, Bruce Liu’s artistry reflects his multicultural heritage -blending European refinement, North American dynamism, and the long tradition of Chinese culture. He studied with Richard Raymond and Dang Thai Son.
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