18.4.2023 Walbrook Music Trust - Siyuan Xu - Piano

Programme

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)
Preludes, Op. 23: No.3 Tempo di minuetto in D Minor
Preludes, Op. 23: No.4 Andente canrablie in D Major

Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849)
Scherzo, No.2 in B Flat Major, Op.31

Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)
The Seasons, Op.37b: I. January. By the Fireside
The Seasons, Op.37b: IV. April. The Snowdrop
The Seasons, Op.37b:VI. June. Barcarolle
The Seasons, Op.37b: XII. December. Yuletide

The Recitalist

Siyuan Xu is a classical pianist based in London. She was born in China in 1999 and began playing the piano at the age of four. Between 2008-2015 she studied with Prof. Hua Guo at the Northwest Normal University, Music Department. In 2021, she studied with renowned Irish concert pianist David Quigley at University of Birmingham and graduated with a Piano performance degree with Merit. From 2022, she has been studying with Prof Michael Dussek and Andrew West at Royal Academy of Music in London.

As a solo pianist, Siyuan has won prizes and competitions since age of seven, including the Final National Piano First Prize in China of KJC Asian International Art Festival, and the Third prize of Taiwan International Piano Elite Open Competition.

Siyuan is also a keen chamber musician. She regularly performs in duo with cellists, singers and wind ensembles. She is devoted to rediscovered, little-heard and new works. With Canadian cellist Bruno Quezada, they premiered piano and cello sonata of Ponce in the UK. With Ukraine clarinetist Dmytro Fonatiuk, they premiered the works of piano by Ukraine composers Yevhen Stankovych and Rostyslav Demchyshyn in the UK.

Siyuan’s recent notable performances include two solo classical recitals in Birmingham and many collaborative recitals in London with outstanding musicians in and outside the academy, for instance the Student Creative Festival at the Royal Academy of Music and Barnes Music Festival in 2023.