Multi-award-winning pianist and former child prodigy Kate Liu is heading to the Mother City in September.
For one night only, the Singaporean pianist is performing a recital at the Baxter Concert Hall and will also present a masterclass at UCT.
It will be Liu’s first time performing in Cape Town, and she will be performing pieces composed by Schumann, Beethoven, Chopin and many more.
Liu said she was excited because she’s heard so much about Cape Town.
“I love this job because I always get to play recitals at places I’ve never been,” she said.
The Singapore pianist said she arranged the recital in a manner that would create a journey for the audience.
“These are composers that I enjoy and I want the audience to enjoy them too,” she said.
Liu said those who attend the masterclass could expect her to impart her knowledge about the craft and her love for it.
“Great composers have written amazing masterpieces and I want to share the beauty of that with them,” she said.
“I want to help people understand the depth of what these composers experienced, and share the beauty of their music,” she added.
Over the years, Liu has gained inspiration from composers Frédéric Chopin, Robert Schumann and Franz Schubert.
“They’re all very different, but one thing that links them and all great composers is their ability to have a strong, unique way of composing pieces.”
She added: “It comes from deep within their souls. There’s an inexplicable depth of feeling when listening to their beautiful melodies.”
Liu gained recognition in her field when she won a bronze medal at the 17th International Chopin Piano Competition, in 2015.
Earlier this year, the pianist was a quarter finalist in the 16th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.
She won first place in the New York International Piano competition in 2010 and first place in the Asia-Pacific International Chopin Competition in 2015.
Liu said she credits her success to her teachers.
“Good teachers have an impact on how you view your craft and the trajectory of your career,” she said.
At 28 years old, Liu has spent 24 years playing the piano, spending five to six hours a day rehearsing.
She fondly recalled her first memory of the piano when she saw her older sister, Shelley, playing the instrument.
“She started playing before me. My first memory of playing the piano was playing jingles from a children’s book,” she said.
Liu has played with the Cleveland Orchestra, the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal and many more. Liu said this was what keeps her work exciting.
“Each concerto, conductor and player is different every time,” she said.
“It’s a wonderful experience because you get to collaborate with many different kinds of musicians. It’s not always smooth sailing but it’s a privilege.”
Over the years, Liu said she has learned to appreciate her relationship with the piano more.
“I’ve been with it for most of my life. I’ve never gone through a period when I didn’t practise it,” she said.
“I love that with the piano you control the melody and the harmony. With other instruments like the violin or the flute, you only impact the melody,” she added.
“The piano is a world of its own and I love being in that world. It puts you in a different musical world and I love that.”
Liu’s recital at the Baxter will cost R300 for a single ticket and her masterclass at UCT will be free.
Weekend Argus