City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

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 premier league of the classical music world.

Bruce Liu was born in Paris and grew up in Canada, but his Asian roots have had a significant influence on him. »I realise that Chinese history – Confucianism, Taoism – is in my blood. But through my profession, I also have close ties to European culture.« His touch definitely has a French flair, elegant and incredibly light, while beneath the surface there is a palpable tension. These are excellent prerequisites for Tschaikowsky's First Piano Concerto, which covers the entire emotional spectrum from sensitive tenderness to barely controllable bursts of energy.