Hastings International Piano is presenting a series of online short concerts and this Friday, June 12 it features an evening in with the 2018 Concerto Competition prizewinner Gen Li and the programme features Frédéric Chopin preludes No.16 No.15 No.17 Op.28 and Johannes Brahms three intermezzi for piano No.1, No.2, No.3 Op.117
Gen Li, a British-Chinese concert pianist, is visiting professor at the China Conservatory of Music in Beijing, jury member of numerous international piano competitions under the Alink-Argerich Foundation, artistic director of London Young Musicians Award, St Petersburg International Piano Competition, Xiangyang Beethoven International Piano Competition, visiting scholar at Shanghai Conservatory of Music, visiting artist and concerto competition adjudicator of Trinity Laban Conservatory of Music and Dance and founder of TrueArt TV.
During his studying period, Gen won the first prize at both Birmingham International Piano Competition and the Jacques Samuel Intercollegiate Piano Competition. He performed at many of the world’s finest venues including Wigmore Hall, Cadogan Hall, the Purcell Room in London, Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, Grand Hall of Casa da Música in Portugal, and the Fazioli Concert Hall in Italy, receiving high praise from both public and critics alike.
BBC Radio 3 presenter Sean Rafferty described him ‘the pianist with golden fingers’, after listening. As the third prize winner at the Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition In 2018, he performed a piano concerto with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Jac van Steen.
He now regularly serves as a jury member of many international piano competitions, such as Windsor International Piano Competition, Chopin International Piano Competition in South Africa, St. Petersburg International Piano Competition in Russia, Beethoven International Piano Competition in Xiangyang, China, and the Neapolitan Masters International Piano Competition in Italy.
He has been invited as a visiting artist to give masterclasses and concerts at the China Conservatory of Music (Beijing), Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Trinity Laban Conservatory of Music and Dance, Wuhan Conservatory of Music and more.
He has recorded piano concertos with the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, Portuguese Philharmonic Orchestra, Roma State Symphony Orchestra, London Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra, Barnet Symphony Orchestra, and Eastbourne Symphony Orchestra and others.
His other competition top-three prizes include Roma International Piano Competition, Malta International Piano Competition, Piano FVG Competition in Sacile, Eastbourne Soloists’ Competition, and the Santa Cecilia Piano Competition in Porto.
Born in China, Gen spent his early years pretty much in the practice room. He came to the UK at the age of 15 for his career and finished his studies at Purcell School of Music, Royal College of Music, and Trinity Laban Conservatory of Music and Dance. His teachers include Deniz Gelenbe, Ian Jones, Nigel Clayton and Dmitri Alexeev.
Gen always gratefully acknowledges his generous sponsors and supports Fairlight Art Trust, S. W. Mitchell Capital, Help Musicians UK Postgraduate Award, KNS Classical Recording, Joseph Clover Award, Nina Polani Award, Delina musician Award, Alfred Kitchin Award, and the NOSWAD Charity Award.
It will be available to watch on Hastings International Piano Concerto’s Facebook page or on the website.
In these times when the livelihood of our musicians is at risk, we are launching this series to support the careers of our prizewinners and will be paying them a performance fee.
The concerts are free to view, but viewers will be able to make a voluntary donation to Hastings International Piano Engagement Fund or choose to join as a friend.
Image Credits: HIPCC .