Born in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, celebrated pianist Meng-Chieh LIU was the first Asian pianist to teach on the faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music at a mere age of 21 before his stellar career was suddenly halted by a rare illness. With arduous determination and relentless physical therapy, LIU has been restored miraculously to full health and is now once again performing on the concert stage.

LIU's ever expanding artistry will be showcased in these three recitals of remarkable contrast. The first recital presents a selection of Franz Liszt works while Chopin and Rachmaninoff make the centerpiece of the second recital.The first recital includes a selection from Franz Liszt's Années de pèlerinage, while emotionally engaging works by Chopin and Rachmaninoff stand as the central theme of the second recital. The third recital, the only Taiwan performance of a unique program exclusively for the audience of NTT, includes works by Schumann, Ravel and Messiaen, among others, and explores the range of emotions while experiencing love and facing death. 

11/4

Liszt: ‘Sposalizio’ from Années de pèlerinage, Deuxième année: Italie

Liszt: ‘Les jeux d'eaux à la Villa d'Este’ from Années de pèlerinage, Troisième année

Liszt: ‘Bénédiction de Dieu dans la Solitude’ from Harmonies Poétiques et Religieuses

Liszt: ‘Venezia e Napoli’ from Supplément aux Années de pèlerinage, Deuxième année

　　　1.‘Gondoliera’

　　　2.‘Canzone’

　　　3.‘Tarantella’

Liszt: Sonetto 47 del Petrarca

Liszt: Sonetto 104 del Petrarca

Liszt: Sonetto 123 del Petrarca

Liszt: Après une lecture du Dante–Fantasia quasi sonata, from Années de pèlerinage, Deuxième année: Italie

11/5

Chopin: Nocturne, Op. 32, No. 1, B major

Chopin: Nocturne, Op. 55, No. 1, F minor

Chopin: Nocturne, Op. 15, No.1, F major

Rachmaninoff: Variations on a Theme of Chopin, Op. 22

Chopin: Nocturne, Op. 9, No. 3, B major

Chopin: Nocturne, Op. 15, No. 3, G minor

Chopin: Nocturne, Op. 32, No. 2, A flat major

Chopin: Nocturne, Op. 48, No. 1, C minor

Rachmaninoff: Prelude, Op. 32, No. 10, Bminor

Rachmaninoff: Adagio Sostenuto, Op16, No. 5, D flat major, from 6 Moments musicaux

Rachmaninoff: Maestoso, Op. 16, No. 6, C major, from 6 Moments musicaux

11/6

Ravel: Pavane pour une infante défunte

Schumann: Romance, Op. 28 , No. 2, F sharp major, from Drei Romanzen

Janáček: Sonata <1.X.1905>

Granados: ‘El amor y la muerte: Balada’ from Goyescas

Liszt/Wagner: ‘Isoldens Liebestod’ from Tristan und Isolde

Liszt: ‘Funerailles’ from Harmonies Poétiques et Religieuses

Messiaen: ‘Le Baiser de l'Enfant-Jésus’ from Vingt regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus

Messiaen: ‘Regard de l'Eglise d'Amour’ from Vingt regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus

Meng-Chieh LIU

Born in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, pianist Meng-Chieh LIU first made headlines in 1993 as a 21-year-old student at The Curtis Institute of Music when he substituted at last minute's notice for André Watts at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia. His acclaimed performance was followed by a recital at the Kennedy Center, among other highly praised appearances. The stellar beginning of his career was abruptly halted by a rare illness. With arduous determination and relentless physical therapy, the pianist has been restored miraculously to full health and is now once again performing on the concert stage. Since then, he has performed throughout the world as a soloist in recitals and with orchestras under conductors Christoph Eschenbach, Gustavo Dudamel and Alan Gilbert.