Kate Liu – Vancouver Recital Debut

In 1970, Garrick Ohlsson made history by becoming the first American to have won the International Chopin Competition in Warsaw. He was then followed by fellow American Kevin Kenner, who became the winner in 1990. In the 17th International Fryderyk Chopin Competition in 2015, two Americans, Kate Liu and Eric Lu, came out on top of the many fine pianists who competed there. Kate Liu won the hearts of the Polish audience with the authenticity of her Chopin playing. At the end, she return home with the bronze medal, the audience favourite award (in which Polish radio listeners vote for their favourite) as well as the very sought-after Polish Radio prize for best playing of a mazurka. While continuing her piano studies at Curtis Institute, she was named a 2018-19 Gilmore Rising Star.

You now have a chance to hear this remarkable young artist, who will be making her Vancouver debut on Sunday, May 19th, at 3:00 p.m. Kate Liu has been winning ecstatic reviews everywhere she plays, and this will surely be another history-making debut of a highly original voice. Kate Liu has added a significant item to her Vancouver programme: Chopin’s Three Mazurkas, Op 59. Come and find out why her Chopin playing captured the hearts and ears of the distinguished jury members as well as the Polish public.

Renowned music historian Alan Walker, a world authority on 19th century music, and author of the monumental new biography of Chopin – Fryderyk Chopin – A Life and Times – will give a lecture in association with Kate Liu’s recital on May 19th. The lecture is for ticket holders only and will take place at the Vancouver Playhouse Salon at 1:15 pm. This book, which took ten years to research and write, has been receiving rave reviews all over the world. It’s being hailed as the most important book on the enigmatic Polish/French virtuoso in the last … no, not decade … hundred years!– Jeff Mahoney writes.
After the lecture, Professor Walker will be available for book signing, and a limited number of copies of his Chopin biography will be available for purchase. This is a very rare opportunity to listen to and meet this legendary music scholar. Seating for the lecture is very limited. If you are interested in attending the lecture please let us know by calling The Vancouver Chopin Society office at 604-871-4450 or writing to us at info@chopinsociety.org. Please indicate your name and the number of attendees.
Purchase tickets to Kate Liu’s recital and enjoy this unique musical “double feature”.