Quang Hong Luu returns to Gisborne for solo piano concert

World-class pianist Quang Hong Luu is returning to Gisborne for a solo concert on May 4.

Gisborne music lovers have the opportunity to listen to a world-class pianist when Quang Hong Luu returns next month to play a solo concert at St Andrew’s Church.

He will perform two sonatas from Italian composer Domenico Scarlatti and seven works from Hungarian composer and virtuoso pianist Franz Liszt.

The concert will feature a collection of sonatas which capture Liszt’s experiences in Italy, reflecting the deep inspiration he drew from the country’s rich art, architecture and natural landscapes.

Luu played his first solo concert in Gisborne last June, when he delighted audiences with Debussy and Liszt works.

“I got such a warm reception last time from a very attentive audience,” he said.

“The programme I played was the first volume of the Years of Pilgrimage by Liszt, which also marked my first year in New Zealand.

“As I come back the second time, the programme will now be the second volume of the Years of Pilgrimage. Just as the music is evolving over the course of the volumes, I’m also evolving as a musician.”

Born in Vietnam in 1990, Luu is known for his skilful performance techniques and impressive, emotional playing style.

He studied at the Vietnam National Academy of Music, the Australian International Conservatory of Music and the University of Montreal, in Canada.

In January last year, Luu performed Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Szolnok Hungarian State Orchestra at the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest.

He has performed with many famous orchestras over the years such as the Hanoi Symphony Orchestra, the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra from Florence (Italy), Symphony Orchestra Queensland (Australia), KOZY Symphony Orchestra, Metropolitan Orchestra (Sydney) and Wuhan Symphony Orchestra (China).

In 2012, he released his first CD and DVD recordings under the Master Performers label.

Last year, he followed this up with a CD of Liszt’s 12 Transcendental Études under the Rattle recording label.

Luu said the most rewarding feeling of a live concert was the result of engaging with the audience in the “non-verbal expression of the sound world”.

“The presence of the audience ignites and inspires a certain degree of intensity in my focus and I will often play with much more emotion than in the studio.”

He is in the process of completing a Doctor of Musical Arts at the New Zealand School of Music in New Zealand under the guidance of Dr Jian Liu.

Quang Hong Luu piano recital

Sonatas by Scarlatti & Liszt

2pm, May 4, St Andrew’s Church. 176 Cobden St