Montreal pianist 'keeps audience breathless' as he wins prestigious international competition

Bruce (Xiaoyu) Liu's piano playing has been described as elegant and jaw-dropping. Now the 24-year-old Montrealer's skill has earned him first prize in one of the most prestigious and oldest piano competitions in the world.

His teacher, Đặng Thái Sơn, loved seeing the crowd's response Thursday in Warsaw, Poland, where he was also serving as a juror during the 18th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition.

"You can see their reaction in the hall … a standing ovation," he said.

Liu is a graduate of the Montreal Conservatory of Music, where he studied under Richard Raymond.

Raymond said seeing a student win at that level of competition is a dream come true. "Because you work in the background a lot, but we are there, all the way through their development and their growth," he said.

Liu had been getting ready for the competition with Sơn's help, and there are few people as qualified.

Sơn, who lives in Montreal, won first prize at the Chopin Competition in 1980. That was the first time that a top international competition was won by an Asian pianist.

The fact that Liu followed in his footsteps is "a historic moment," Sơn said, because it's the first time a student of a former winner has taken first prize.

JJ Jun Li Bui, of Toronto, was awarded sixth prize. The 17-year-old is also one of Sơn's students.

Sơn moved to Canada from Vietnam in 1991 and has taught around the world.

The International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition started in 1927 and has been held every five years since 1955. This year, Sơn said there were more than 500 applicants vying for the win.

He said the competition was put on hold last year due to the pandemic, and that extra year of practice led to some stellar performances.

Throughout the pandemic, Sơn has been staying home, working remotely with most students. His only exception was Liu, whom he met in person for lessons.

Liu, who was born in Paris to Chinese parents and lived in Montreal, has a multicultural background that shows in his playing, said Sơn.