Yundi Xu
Born in 1998, Yundi started to play the piano at the age of three under the guidance of her maternal grandfather (himself a pianist and pedagogue) in Beijing, China.
In 2002, she won her first piano competition “MIDO” in Paris, and, after a series of concerts, her success brought her to meet the renown Chinese pianist and teacher Zhou Guangren, with whom she continued her studies.
Yundi moved to Paris in 2007 and was admitted to the “École normale de musique de Paris-Alfred-Cortot” in the class of Victoria Melki. The following year, she entered the “Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional de Paris” and graduated in 2012 from Chantal Fraysse’s class with the highest grades. Thereafter, at only fourteen years old, she was accepted at the prestigious “Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris” as the youngest candidate, where she studied with Alain Planès, Emmanuel Strosser, and currently with Frank Braley, completing her second year of a Master’s degree. Benefiting from the Erasmus Programme, she spent her first year of Master’s studies at the Universität Mozarteum Salzburg in the class of Jacques Rouvier, who has been mentoring and guiding her for many years, both in terms of academic studies and her professional career.
In conjunction with her studies at the secondary school and receiving the Baccalaureate diploma, Yundi took part in several competitions where she was awarded first prize, among them: the 20th “FLAME” Competition in Paris (2009), the Steinway Competition in Paris (2010), and the 12th International Competition “Chopin for the Youngest” in Antonin, Poland (2013).
She regularly performs in Europe and Asia in venues such as Salle Gaveau, Espace Pierre Cardin, the American Church in Paris, Moulin d’Andé, Salon Michelin, the Radziwill Hunting Palace, Xinghai Concert Hall, and Eslite Performance Hall. She was invited to participate in the Bon Anniversaire Monsieur Chopin in 2010 and in festivals such as “Les Nuit d’Été à Mâcon” in 2012, “L’Heure Musicale au Marais” in 2013, and the Ravel Festival of Montfort L’Amaury in 2015. The same year, she collaborated with the Lanzhou Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Zhang Yi, performing Frédéric Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1.
She has received advice and guidance during master classes with Gary Graffman, Andrzej Jasinski, Tatiana Zelikman, Katarzyna Popowa-Zydron, Mikhail Rudy, Dang Thai Son, and Rena Shereshevskaya.
Her concert engagements for next year will include performances in Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, and France.
2016 Olga Kern International Piano Competition Semifinalists Honorable Mention Award-Winner and Spivakov Award-Winner.