Avan Yu

Executive and Artistic Director

Canadian pianist Avan Yu has captivated audiences around the world with his imaginative and sensitive playing, keen acuity of style and thrilling virtuosity. Since winning the Sydney International Piano Competition with nine special awards, and the Silver Medal and Audience Prize at the Paloma O’Shea Santander International Piano Competition, he has appeared on many of the world’s important stages, including Carnegie Hall, Sydney Opera House, Berliner Philharmonie and Royal Concertgebouw.

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Equally adept in solo and collaborative settings, Avan has performed with leading musicians and ensembles, such as Yo-Yo Ma, Pinchas Zukerman, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Bramwell Tovey, Juanjo Mena, Johannes Moser, Armida Quartett, National Arts Centre Orchestra of Canada, Dresden Philharmonie, Vancouver Symphony and Sydney Symphony. After his highly successful debut with the Hong Kong Philharmonic under Jaap van Zweden, he was immediately re-invited by the music director to headline the following season opening concert. 

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An avid supporter of new music, Avan has actively worked with composers on their music and has given several premieres, including the Canadian premiere of Hans Abrahamsen’s Left, alone for piano and orchestra with the Esprit Orchestra under Alex Pauk in Toronto. 

His recording of Liszt's Transcriptions of Schubert's Winterreise and Schwanengesang, released by Naxos, won positive reviews from critics at Gramophone magazine, American Record Guide, Fono Forum, among others.

Avan studied privately with Kut Kau Sum, Kenneth Broadway and Ralph Markham in Vancouver. He holds Diplom and Konzertexamen degrees from the Universität der Künste Berlin, where he studied with Klaus Hellwig and holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied with Horacio Gutiérrez. He currently resides in Berlin.

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