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“Yundi Li, the brilliant young Chinese pianist … has proved a technically astounding pianist who is by turns elegant and rambunctious, coolly expressive and white hot.” – The New York Times
In his EMI Classics debut release, 25 year-old Chinese pianist Yundi (formally known as Yundi Li) releases the complete Chopin Nocturnes to commemorate the composer’s 200th birthday in 2010. Yundi has devoted most his careers almost exclusively to Chopin.
Yundi was born in Chongquing, People’s Republic of China in 1982. His musical career began with the accordion at the age of four and in 1987 he won first prize at the Chongqing Children’s Accordion Competition. At the age of seven he took up the piano and began studies with Dan Zhao Yi, one of China’s most renowned piano teachers; he already had ambitions of becoming a professional pianist. At just eighteen, Yundi became one of the youngest pianists to win the first prize at the 14th International Frederic Chopin Competition held in Warsaw in 2000. Since the competition Yundi has catapulted onto the international stage. His recitals and appearances with orchestras in Europe, Asia and the United States have been hailed by critics extolling his precise, crystalline technique, keyboard fluidity and boundless enthusiasm. His personality and artistry appeal to audiences of all ages and he is an icon in his native China, where he has inspired millions of young people, who refer to him as the “Prince of the Piano.”
