11 Jul 2018

Young Canadian pianist to open Wallace International Piano Festival

From Upbeat, 1:00 pm on 11 July 2018

The Wallace International Piano Festival opens on Thursday with a recital from Canadian pianist Avan Yu.

Avan Yu

Avan Yu Photo: Supplied

Avan was the youngest ever winner of Canada’s Chopin Competition at the age of 17, but achieved international recognition when he gained First Prize at the 2012 Sydney International Piano Competition.

At the time, Neville Cohn wrote this in the West Australian newspaper: “one sensed that what we were listening to was not so much communication between pianist and audience but rather a form of profound communion between pianist and composer. It was the quintessence of stillness and calm which reminded me of the playing of Moiseiwitsch - and praise doesn't get much higher than that.”

Avan Yu talks with Upbeat about his life in music, and affinity for the music of Liszt.