The beginning of a longer journey. Conversation with Bruce Liu

CHOPIN COURIER: Today the Competition begins. Do you remember the emotions you felt just before your very first performance at the Chopin Competition? How do you look back on that time?

BRUCE LIU: Just before my very first performance, I remember a strange combination of nerves and excitement. Of course, there was a lot of pressure. It’s one of the most prestigious stages, and I knew how much weight the moment carried. But at the same time, I felt a kind of inner calm. I remember telling myself that all I could do was go out there and share the music the sincerest way possible. The first round is also the moment when you just start to understand the stage. And it was even more special for me because it was during the pandemic. I hadn’t played in front of an audience for a whole year! But looking back, I see that it was a turning point. Somehow the atmosphere in Warsaw, the sense of history and the intensity, the focus of the audience, it all created something unforgettable. I remember on landing I already felt I really wanted to share my thoughts and my music here. It wasn’t just about the Competition. It was also a dialogue with Chopin himself and with the audience.

C.C.: What advice would you give to those now preparing to perform? How do you win the Chopin Competition?

B.L.: I think I still need some advice, before giving any advice. The main thing is to not focus only on winning. Everyone coming here are technically brilliant and amazing performers, so what matters is what you have to say as an artist. I can only speak for myself, but I try to prepare the works not for the jury, but for Chopin himself and for the audience who love his music so deeply. Of course, this comes from studying the score and, most importantly, with honesty, living the pieces and letting my own voice come through. There’s also the physical and mental preparation that we should never underestimate. The Competition is very long, with many rounds and long gaps in between. Maintaining the energy, concentration and creativity, finding the balance between practising, resting and staying mentally fresh was crucial. I don’t think anyone can say there’s a formula for winning. If we play to please others or to imitate a winning style, it’ll never be convincing. For me, the key was to treat each round as a concert, not an exam – to forget about the competition and just share the music. If you can move people and create unforgettable moments, I think you’ve already succeeded, no matter the prize at the end.

C.C.: Four years have passed since your victory. Do you remember the moment when the results were announced? Did you expect such an outcome and everything that followed?

B.L.: I still remember the moment vividly. When they announced the result, it almost felt unreal, like time slowed down for a second. I’d hoped to do well, but to actually hear my name called as the winner was beyond what I’d dared to expect. It was full of emotions, relief and joy. Honestly, in that moment, I didn’t think about what comes after. I was focussed on each round, each performance, each detail of every piece, so the idea of what winning might mean felt really far away. And the days and months that followed brought an intensity that I couldn’t have foreseen. Looking back, I see it not only as a personal victory, but also as the start of a much longer journey.

C.C.: What does it feel like to return for the Competition, but this time to perform in the opening concert, with other outstanding pianists – past winners of the Competition?

B.L.: Sharing the stage with other past winners is both humbling and inspiring and a huge honour. I know that each of them has a unique story and a unique relationship with Chopin. Now we can be here together, it’s like being part of a larger family, bound not only by music, but also by the experiences we all went through in Warsaw – in different times, which I think is a magical thing. I’m full of gratitude and truly appreciate how much has changed in these four years. It’s not about competing anymore, it’s about celebrating Chopin, sharing the music with people who love it deeply, and honouring the journey that began right here.

C.C.: The Chopin Competition requires participants to master an enormous Chopin repertoire. Since the Competition, have you felt above all like a ‘Chopinist’ or are you searching for different repertoire? How would you describe yourself as a pianist today?

B.L.: That’s a meaningful question. The Chopin Competition naturally places Chopin at the centre of your life for a long time, and that leaves a deep imprint. His music shaped me as a pianist and an artist with a balance of elegance and drama, intimacy and universality. So in that sense, Chopin will always remain a kind of home for me, something essential in my identity. At the same time, I felt a strong need to broaden my horizons. I’ve been exploring French, but also Classical, Baroque repertoire, where there’s many colours and textures. So I’d say that at my core, I try to combine curiosity with freedom. I also balance discipline with spontaneity. I always try to treat each concert as a unique moment of communication. I really want the audience to feel not just the perfection but the personality, something unique.

C.C.: You chose to perform Saint-Saëns’s Piano Concerto No. 5. It’s an interesting, but quite rare, choice. Is this concerto particularly close to you?

B.L.: With this Concerto, even though its nickname is ‘The Egyptian’, it feels more like a music travel diary gone wild. You get these bursts of exotic rhythms and snippets that sound almost like a boat song on the Nile, then out of nowhere there’s a melody that feels closer to Parisian salon elegance. I always had this fantasy about Jules Verne’s Around the World in 80 Days, which influenced me in high school, also with my multi-cultural background. It’s a fun piece that combines brilliance with imagination. It was written in Luxor, and it echoes with places far from Paris: an openness to the world that I find inspiring.

C.C.: The Warsaw audience adores you. And how do you feel in Warsaw? Do you enjoy coming back here to perform?

B.L.: I love Warsaw deeply. There’s something about this city that feels both familiar and a little magical. It’s like coming home to a place that understands Chopin’s music in its bones. The audience listens with a rare mix of knowledge and genuine curiosity. And each time I return, there’s a little tradition I’ve kept since everything happened. My first meal is always duck – ‘kaczka’. It’s become my lucky food. Once I even ended up in a tiny spot where the waiter recognised me and started humming a Chopin nocturne! In Warsaw, you can hear Chopin’s music from the benches when you walk or even in the park. So I really enjoy coming back. Each visit changes me a little. It reminds me why I fell in love with this repertoire and gives me new inspiration for everything I play.