Eric Lu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eric Lu
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Lu in 2023
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| Born | December 15, 1997 (age 27) Massachusetts, U.S.
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| Occupation | Classical pianist | ||||||
| Awards | 1st prize,
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| Chinese name | |||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 陸逸軒 | ||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 陆逸轩 | ||||||
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Eric Lu, born on December 15, 1997, is a brilliant American classical pianist. He is famous for winning two major piano competitions: the 2025 XIX International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw and the 2018 Leeds International Piano Competition. Eric Lu has performed with many of the world's top orchestras. These include the London Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Lu records music for Warner Classics and has released several popular albums. These albums feature works by famous composers like Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Schubert, and Schumann. After winning the 19th International Chopin Piano Competition, an album of highlights from his winning performances is expected to be released by Deutsche Grammophon.
Contents
Eric Lu: A Young Piano Star
Early Life and Musical Journey
Eric Lu was born in Massachusetts, USA, on December 15, 1997. His father came from Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and his mother from Shanghai, China. He grew up in Bedford, Massachusetts. Eric started learning piano at age six with Dorothy Shi in the Boston area.
He later attended the New England Conservatory Preparatory School. There, he studied with talented pianists Alexander Korsantia and A. Ramon Rivera. In 2013, he was accepted into the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music. At Curtis, he continued his studies with pianists Jonathan Biss and Robert McDonald. He also learned from the renowned classical pianist Đặng Thái Sơn.
Winning Major Competitions
In 2015, when he was just 17, Eric Lu achieved fourth place at the XVII International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw. This made him one of the youngest winners in the competition's history. Soon after, he made his debut at the 70th International Chopin Festival in Duszniki, Poland. In January 2016, he toured Japan and Korea with the Warsaw Philharmonic and other competition winners.
In 2017, Lu won the International German Piano Award in Frankfurt. He also received the audience prize, showing how much people enjoyed his playing.
In 2018, at age 20, Eric Lu won the First Prize and a gold medal at the Leeds International Piano Competition. He was the first American pianist to win this competition since Murray Perahia. In the finals, he performed Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 with the Hallé Orchestra. After his big win, he quickly signed with Askonas Holt and Warner Classics. His first concert was with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. He then gave recitals at famous venues like Wigmore Hall and the Amsterdam Concertgebouw. Critics praised his performances, with The Guardian noting his "magic touch."
In June 2019, Eric Lu stepped in to perform with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, replacing the legendary Martha Argerich. He also made his debut at the 2019 BBC Proms in London's Royal Albert Hall with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra.
In 2022, Lu again stepped in on short notice to perform with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He played with conductor Riccardo Muti, replacing Maurizio Pollini. The Chicago Tribune praised his "perfectly idiomatic" (meaning perfectly natural and fitting) playing of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 27. They also noted his "pliant, gossamer touch," describing his delicate and flexible playing style.
In 2025, Eric Lu achieved first place at the XIX International Chopin Piano Competition. He is only the second American to win this prestigious competition. He is also the only person to have competed twice and won a prize both times. An album of highlights from his winning performances is expected to be released by Deutsche Grammophon.
His Recorded Music
Eric Lu records his music for Warner Classics under a special contract. His first major album was released in 2020. It featured Chopin's 24 Preludes, Op. 28; Schumann's Geistervariationen; and Brahms's Intermezzo, Op. 117 No. 1. In 2022, Lu released another album, this time featuring only music by Schubert.
Awards and Recognitions
Eric Lu has received many awards for his incredible talent:
- 2010: XII Ettlingen International Competition for Young Pianists – First Prize
- 2013: III Minnesota International e-Piano Junior Competition – First Prize and Schubert Prize
- 2014: IX Moscow International Fryderyk Chopin Competition for Young Pianists – First Prize
- 2015: IX US National Chopin Competition – First Prize and Prize for Best Performance of a Concerto
- 2015: XVII International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw – Fourth Prize
- 2017: VII International German Piano Award – First Prize and FAZ Audience Award
- 2018: Leeds International Piano Competition – First Prize and Terence Judd–Hallé Orchestra Prize
- 2025: XIX International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw – First Prize
See also
In Spanish: Eric Lu para niños
