About — Yundi Xu

A talented young Chinese pianist, Yundi Xu developed a passion for the Romantic and French repertoire at an early age. Trained in France, England and Germany, she regularly performs in festivals and on major international stages (Salle Gaveau, Konzerthaus Berlin, Bolshoi Theatre, the National Concert Hall in Taipei, the Prince Radziwill’s Hunting Palace in Antonin, the Heydar-Aliyev Center in Baku, Seiji Ozawa Hall, etc.). Gifted with innate pianistic skills and exceptional sensitivity, she excels both as a soloist and as a chamber musician.

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Yundi Xu started playing the piano at the age of three, guided by her musician grandfather, and won the MIDO competition one year later. At nine years old, she entered the “École normale de musique de Paris Alfred Cortot” and then the Paris Conservatory (CNSMDP). She obtained a double bachelor (including one in chamber music), followed by a Master’s Degree at the age of 19 and completed an Erasmus programme at the Mozarteum University Salzburg.

Two years later, supported by the Benjamin Dale and Frederic Jackson scholarships, she obtained her Master of Arts from the Royal Academy in London. In 2019, she started attending the Hanns Eisler Academy of Music in Berlin as part of the Konzertexamen, and was involved in the Ravel class at the Académie musicale Philippe Jaroussky, whose mission is to make classical music more accessible by welcoming young people from culturally remote situations. She has earned numerous prizes, including the 12th International Piano Competition “Chopin for the youngest” (Poland, 2013), the special prize of the Vladimir Spivakov Foundation at the 1st International Piano Competition “Olga Kern” (United States, 2016), the 36th Andrée Charlier Competition (Belgium, 2018), the 2nd prize at the 4th Oeiras Piano Competition (Portugal, 2022), the 3rd International Piano Festival of Malaga (Spain, 2022), the 3rd and the Press Award prize at Colafemmina International Piano Competition (Italy, 2022), etc.

“The young Chinese pianist strives for artful refinement in her interpretations − whether she plays Satie, Debussy or Ravel, she always sprinkles their works with distinctive and well-balanced pedalling.”

Der Tagesspiegel
“Listening to Maurice Ravel’s “Une Barque sur l’océan” from “Miroirs”, so beautifully rendered by pianist Yundi Xu.”

Berliner Zeitung
“Both as a soloist and as a chamber musician, she demonstrates innate pianistic skills and refreshing sensitivity.”

China Radio International
“Trained in various schools throughout Europe, the young concert performers provided a virtuoso moment, especially during the performance of 13-year-old Yundi Xu who offered a remarkable interpretation of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 26, Opus 81.”

Le Journal de Saône-et-Loire
“Yundi Xu certainly turned in one of the better performances of the competition so far—both technically and musically.”

Theater Jones
“Ms Xu, (…) leaned forward intently to the keyboard, giving an impression both of working hard and yet being at ease in this space and with this material.”

Daily Info Oxford
“She didn’t pick a piece that offered a show of virtuosic bravura for her last appearance. […] Instead, she played something subtle, with considerable difficulties that are not clear. But her mastery as a musician was there for all to see.”

Theater Jones
“She stands out [...] thanks to the intelligence of her phrasing, her maturity at such a young age [...], her technical skills as well as incredibly refined sound.”

Musiq' 3

Yundi Xu’s orchestra career started in 2015, playing with the Lanzhou Symphony Orchestra, then with the Beijing Symphony Orchestra, the Namur Chamber Orchestra and the Azerbaijan State Symphony Orchestra. She has collaborated with prominent conductors such as Zhang Yi, Fuad Ibrahimov, Ayrton Desimpelaere and Li Biao, and her recordings of works by Chopin and Ravel have been broadcasted on Musiq’ 3, Deutschlandradio, RBB Kultur radio and Westdeutscher Rundfunk Köln.

Furthermore, master classes have had a profound influence on her work: Yundi Xu has received guidance from the likes of Dang Thai Son, Gary Graffman, Katarzyna Popowa-Zydron and Pavel Gililov during summer academies that greatly contributed to her international training.
In 2018 she studied at the Aspen Music Festival and School with the support of the Polonsky Foundation Fellowship. Then she moved on to the Tanglewood Music Center, working with Paul Lewis and composer Thomas Adès, and performing the world premiere of an Andrew Hamilton piece as well as the American premiere of a Nathan Shields composition.

Yundi Xu is deeply inspired by contemporary music and stage performance, both as a soloist and as a chamber musician. Generous, passionate and demanding, she is always willing to share her attachment to the Romantic and French repertoire with an ever-growing international audience.

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May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN | May 7 11:30AM - Kleine Aula der Alten Kantonsschule, ZÜRICH | June 14 8:00PM - Konzerthaus, BERLIN |

“The young Chinese pianist strives for artful refinement in her interpretations − whether she plays Satie, Debussy or Ravel, she always sprinkles their works with distinctive and well-balanced pedalling.”

“Listening to Maurice Ravel’s “Une Barque sur l’océan” from “Miroirs”, so beautifully rendered by pianist Yundi Xu.”

“Both as a soloist and as a chamber musician, she demonstrates innate pianistic skills and refreshing sensitivity.”

“Trained in various schools throughout Europe, the young concert performers provided a virtuoso moment, especially during the performance of 13-year-old Yundi Xu who offered a remarkable interpretation of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 26, Opus 81.”

“Yundi Xu certainly turned in one of the better performances of the competition so far—both technically and musically.”

“Ms Xu, (…) leaned forward intently to the keyboard, giving an impression both of working hard and yet being at ease in this space and with this material.”

“She didn’t pick a piece that offered a show of virtuosic bravura for her last appearance. […] Instead, she played something subtle, with considerable difficulties that are not clear. But her mastery as a musician was there for all to see.”

“She stands out [...] thanks to the intelligence of her phrasing, her maturity at such a young age [...], her technical skills as well as incredibly refined sound.”

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