Canadian pianists JJ Jun Li Bui and Bruce (Xiaoyu) Liu are two of 12 finalists from ten countries at the Frédéric Chopin International Piano Competition, currently taking place in Warsaw.
The final round, for which the competitors will play a Chopin concerto, will take place October 18–20.
Toronto-native J J Jun Li Bui won his first piano competition on his seventh birthday. He is a graduate of The Phil and Eli Taylor Performance Academy at The Royal Conservatory Toronto under Michael Berkovsky. He has performed in recitals across Canada, and with orchestras, including the Greater Toronto Philharmonic, and Oakville Chamber Orchestra.
Liu was born in Paris but grew up in Montreal after immigrating to Canada at the age of six. He is a graduate of the Montreal Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Richard Raymond, and is currently studying with Dang Thai Son. At only 15, he won the OSM Competition, and in 2015, he won the Prix d’Europe.
Complete list of finalists for the 2021 Chopin Competition
- Leonora Armellini, Italy
- JJ Jun Li Bui, Canada
- Alexander Gadjiev, Italy / Slovenia
- Martin Garcia Garcia, Spain
- Eva Gevorgyan, Russia / Armenia
- Aimi Kobayashi, Japan
- Jakub Kuszlik, Poland
- Hyuk Lee, South Korea
- Bruce (Xiaoyu) Liu, Canada
- Kamil Pacholec, Poland
- Hao Rao, China
- Kyohei Sorita, Japan
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