At the age of 22, Canadian pianist Avan Yu has already performed in recital and with orchestras on four continents, consistently captivating audiences with his extraordinary musicianship and prodigious ability. He is the only pianist to win first prize in both the Junior and Senior Divisions of the Missouri Southern International Piano Competition.
In August 2008, Avan captured the Silver Medal and the Audience Award at the prestigious 16th Paloma O’Shea Santander International Piano Competition in Spain. Avan Yu first came to national attention by taking first prize at the Canadian Chopin Competition at the age of seventeen, after having won the Canadian Music Competition in both 2001 and 2002. He was a prize winner at the International Radio Competition for Young Musicians (Prague), the 4th Tchaikovsky International Music Competition for Young Musicians (China), and the 4th Concours International de Musique (Morocco) where he was awarded the Grand Prix du Publique. Past performances include collaborations with the Dresden Philharmonic, Real Filharmonía de Galicia, Victoria Symphony, Ottawa Symphony, Windsor Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, Xiamen Philharmonic (China), Orchestre Philharmonique (Morocco), B.C. Chinese Orchestra, Seattle Northwest Philharmonia, and Seattle Youth Orchestra. Avan Yu began his musical studies in Hong Kong at the age of five. After moving to Vancouver in 1997 he studied with K.K. Sum, Kenneth Broadway, and Ralph Markham. He is currently a student at the University of Fine Arts in Berlin, Germany with Klaus Hellwig. In 2008, Avan made his successful New York debut at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall.
Avan Yu will be performing at the Savoy Theatre, September 20.
Listen: Ravel Ondine
