Tianxu An

Tianxu An, from Baoding (Hebei province), a former capital city near Beijing, China, is a much sought-after pianist both at home in China and around the world.

In June of 2019, An drew international attention when he won the fourth prize and a special prize for “courage and restraint” in the XVI International Tchaikovsky Competition–the highest award at this famous competition for a Chinese pianist in 17 years. His performance was lauded by the jury chairman Denis Matsuev as “sensational” and “beyond his years of maturity.” In July of 2019, following his win, he made his orchestral debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra at the Mann Center, performing Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.

Highlights from past seasons include performances with the Mariinsky Orchestra under Valery Gergiev, the China Philharmonic Orchestra with Xiaotang Xia as part of the International Mariinsky Far East Festival as well as solo recitals at the Mariinsky Theatre St. Petersburg and Shanghai Grand Theater. An has collaborated twice with Jia Lü, first with the National Centre for the Performing Arts Orchestra for his debut at the venue in October of 2019 and later with the Macau Orchestra at the Grand Auditorium, Macao Cultural Centre in November of 2020.

An has also received numerous top awards including first prize in the 2018 Albert M. Greenfield Student Competition, grand prize in the “Helen Cup” Shanghai International Piano Competition and the second prize in the Wiesbaden International Piano Competition. He has participated in masterclasses with Klause Baessler, Barry Douglas, Andrea Bonatta, Maxim Mogilevsky and Yefim Bronfman.

In the summer of 2021, An undertook a major recital tour in mainland China with performances in 19 cities including key centers like Beijing and Shanghai. His programs included major works by Ludwig van Beethoven, Johannes Brahms, Franz Liszt, Rachmaninoff and Sergei Prokofiev. His first commercial recording, a recital album for Alpha Classics recorded in August of 2021, will feature works by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev.

An will complete his studies in 2022 at the Curtis Institute of Music, where he works with Meng-Chieh Liu and also privately studies with Dang Thai Son. He previously studied with Hua Chang at the Middle School affiliated to the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing.

Tianxu An appears by special arrangement with Curtis on Tour, the Nina von Maltzahn global touring initiative of the Curtis Institute of Music.