Liu Shikun
| Liu Shikun | |
|---|---|
| Native name | 刘诗昆 |
| Born |
March 8, 1939 China |
| Origin | Beijing, Moscow |
| Occupation(s) | Pianist, composer |
| Instruments | Piano |
| Years active | 1944–present |
Liu Shikun (simplified Chinese: 刘诗昆; traditional Chinese: 劉詩昆; pinyin: Liú Shīkūn; born March 8, 1939) is a Chinese pianist and composer.
He begun his piano training at the age of three,[1] and started publicly performing by the age of five. He won third prize and the Special Prize of the Liszt International Piano Competition in Hungary in 1956 and was awarded a strand of Franz Liszt's hair. He then proceeded to win second prize in the First Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition in Moscow.[2][3]
Liu became one of China's top concert performers until 1966, when the Cultural Revolution and the Gang of Four attacked the country; Western music was banned and, along with thousands of other artists, Liu was arrested. He stayed in prison for six years.[4][2]
Liu studied at Beijing's Central Conservatory of Music and graduated from the Moscow Conservatory of Music.[3]
References
- ↑ "Liu Shikun: Don't Wish to Be a Mozart When Playing Piano". China.org.cn. 2006-08-02. Retrieved 2012-01-04.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Trelawny, Petroc (2008-06-05). "Programmes | From Our Own Correspondent | China's love affair with the piano". BBC News. Retrieved 2012-01-04.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Liu Shikun - International Piano Competition Shanghai, China". Csipc.org. Retrieved 2012-01-04.
- ↑ Jennes, Gail (1979-04-16). "Pianist Liu Shih-Kun Wins Bravos in Boston After Years of Forced Silence in a Peking Prison". People.com. Retrieved 2012-01-25.