Biography

Lang-Ning Liu is an internationally acclaimed piano virtuoso renowned for her introspective approach to both contemporary and classical repertoire.  Her performances are distinguished by breathtaking technical mastery and profound musicianship, earning her widespread critical acclaim.  Anthony Tommasini of The New York Times hailed her as “a sensitive, extremely compelling artist“, and praised her “elegant pianism, warmth and artistic maturity“.  Musical America has lauded her “miraculous strength and confident breadth.” With her uncommon artistic range and deeply emotional interpretations, Liu creates distinct and unforgettable concert experiences for her listeners.

As a distinguished soloist, Ms. Liu has performed in renowned venues and with prominent orchestras worldwide, including the Beijing Symphony Orchestra, Juilliard Symphony Orchestra, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, Juarez Symphony Orchestra, Southern Missouri Symphony, Louisiana Philharmonic, Liaoning Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Concert Orchestra, Cathedral Bluffs Symphony, University of Toronto Wind Ensemble, and Chinese Artists Society of Toronto Orchestra, among others.  Her performances have spanned the globe, captivating audiences with her technical prowess and artistic depth.

Ms. Liu’s has accumulated numerous top prizes and prestigious awards, including top honours from the Juilliard Concerto Competition, Steuermann Memorial Prize, China-France Mi Do International Piano Competition, and the Xing Hai National Piano Competition. She has been featured as a recording artist on notable projects, including the Celebration Series in association with the Royal Conservatory Examinations, and her debut recording with Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra is highly anticipated and dedicated to the late Maestro Kerry Stratton, with whom she toured Canada alongside the Toronto Concert Orchestra. Her “spellbinding and dramatic like-lightning” interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 was met with widespread critical acclaim. The Barrie Examiner wrote, “from the first crashing chords…to passages of quiet lyricism and extroverted energy, Liu’s playing was both expressive and fittingly spectacular. The enthused crowd rose to their feet in appreciation of a truly inspirational evening.””

Ms. Liu is a recording artist for several editions of Frederick Harris Music’s acclaimed “Celebration Series Perspectives”, in association with Royal Conservatory. She has made media appearances on radio, TV and in print on Canada’s largest broadcast and publishing networks, as well as those abroad. A passionate interpreter of new music, she premiered the Emerson Concerto by Charles Ives with The Juilliard Symphony Orchestra and conductor Anne Manson in New York that brought the cheering audience to its feet. She has also premiered and recorded commissioned works by such composers as the Juno-Award winning Vincent Ho, and by the late Clifford Crawley.

Ms. Liu’s exceptional artistry has also made her a sought-after media presence, spanning radio, television, and print, with features on Czech Television, CCTV China, CBC Music, CTV’s Bravo! and CP24 TV, The WholeNote, The Toronto Star, and many more. Czech Television, CCTV China, CBC Music, CTV’s Bravo! & CP24 TV, The WholeNote, Fairchild TV, Rogers TV, OMNI TV, InsideToronto, Sing Tao Daily, and numerous guest performances on the CFMZ-FM Classical 96.3, among others.

In addition to her performance career, Ms. Liu is a passionate advocate for musical education and community outreach.  As a faculty member at the Glenn Gould School and the Taylor Academy for Young Artists at the Royal Conservatory of Music, she has shaped the next generation of pianists. Her students have won numerous competition prizes and earned substantial scholarships to prestigious music schools across the world including The Juilliard School, New England Conservatory, among many others.  She frequently conducts masterclasses and serves as a juror at festivals and competitions throughout North America and Asia.

Ms. Liu’s commitment to cultural and educational outreach extends beyond the concert stage. In 2010, she founded and served as the artistic director for the Toronto International Piano Competition and the Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto Music Festival, while serving as the Centre’s advisor cultural and educational matters, where she was appointed to the Board of Directors in 2013.  Since 2011, she has been an Advisory Board Member of the International Resource Centre for Performing Artists.  Her contributions to the arts have earned her numerous artistic grants in recognition of her work both in Canada and abroad.

Ms. Liu also enjoys the reputation as a highly sought-after teacher in Canada, whose students have won recognition and achieved success at renowned festivals, including numerous top-prize winners and finalists in the Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition, Canadian Chopin Piano Competition, ArtePiano International Competition, Aarhus International Piano Competition, Kaufman International Piano Competition, WPTA Finland International Piano Competition, International Piano E-Competition, Claudette Sorel Piano Competition, Hilton Head International Piano Competition, Cleveland International Piano Competition, OMNI Competition, Quebec Music Competition, Canadian Music Competition, IMFC Competition, Canada International ORMTA Provincial Instrumental Competitions, Steinway Piano Competitions, and The Taylor Academy Concerto Competition. Her students have earned successful acceptances and substantial scholarships into prestigious music schools across the world including The Juilliard School, Oberlin College, New England Conservatory, Mannes School of Music, Eastman School of Music, The Tianjin Juilliard School, McGill University, Peabody Institute, The Glenn Gould School, and The Taylor Academy of Royal Conservatory, among others.  She often gives master classes at music academies and schools across Canada, United States and Asia, and has served as adjudicator at numerous competitions. She frequently conducts masterclasses and serves as a juror at festivals and competitions throughout North America and Asia.

Ms. Liu’s commitment to cultural and educational outreach extends beyond the concert stage. In 2010, she founded and served as the artistic director for the Toronto International Piano Competition and the Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto Music Festival, while serving as the Centre’s advisor cultural and educational matters, where she was appointed to the Board of Directors in 2013.  Since 2011, she has been an Advisory Board Member of the International Resource Centre for Performing Artists.  Her contributions to the arts have earned her numerous artistic grants in recognition of her work in Canada, the United States, and Asia.

A native of China, Ms. Liu’s journey as a pianist began at the age of 11 when she entered the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing with the highest honors.  She made her orchestral debut with the Beijing Symphony Orchestra during her studies there. At age 17, she began her undergraduate studies at The Glenn Gould School in Toronto on full scholarship, studying under Marietta Orlov.  She went on to complete her Master of Music in Piano Performance at The Juilliard School in New York under the tutelage of Julian Martin.  Her studies with Vladimir Ashkenazy, James Anagnoson, and Dang Thai Son have also exerted notable influences on her artistry.