Photograph by Adrian Malloch

Shan Liu makes his mainstage debut performance with the NZSO in Let There Be Light, performing Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3.

Shan Liu, a 16-year-old pianist and Year 12 student at Westlake Boys High School, is rapidly emerging as one of New Zealand’s most promising young classical musicians. Guided by the mentorship of renowned pianist Stephen De Pledge, Shan has already achieved remarkable success on both national and international stages. His artistry has been recognized with top prizes at major competitions, including the Grand Jury Prize at the 8th Macao International Piano Competition, the Grand Gold Prize at the Pacific Rim International Music Competition, and the Gold Award at the GOCAA New York International Music Competition. He has also won First Place at the César Franck International Piano Competition in Belgium and the International Piano Competition for Young Musicians in the Netherlands.

In New Zealand, Shan made history in 2023 as the youngest-ever winner of the Lewis Eady National Junior Piano Competition and was awarded the VAC Classical Music Award. The following year, he received the GOCAA Young Artist Award and the AIMES Emerging Talent Award, while also becoming the first New Zealand pianist invited to the prestigious Morningside Music Bridge Program at the New England Conservatory in Boston—a fully funded residency offering mentorship from world-class musicians.

Shan’s performance career has been marked by a series of significant milestones. He was invited to perform as a Featured Soloist with the NZSO National Youth Orchestra in 2024 and return to the stage with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra as a Featured Soloist in their 2025 and 2026 seasons. He was also recognized as an NZSO Emerging Artist in both 2023 and 2024, further highlighting his close association with the country’s premier orchestra. He has been a recurring soloist with the Manukau Symphony Orchestra across three consecutive seasons from 2023 to 2025. In 2025 he claimed First Place at the National Concerto Competition, becoming the youngest winner in the event’s 57-year history. In March 2026, Shan will appear as a soloist with the St. Matthews Chamber Orchestra as part of the Auckland Arts Festival concert, further cementing his reputation as a rising star. Shan has also been invited to attend the 2026 Martinborough Music Festival.

Internationally, Shan’s reputation has grown through performances at some of the world’s most renowned venues, including Carnegie Hall in New York, Sydney Opera House, Auckland Town Hall, Christchurch Town Hall, Michael Fowler Centre. His solo recital at the 2022 Beethoven Orbit Festival in Aachen, Germany, was met with widespread acclaim for its technical brilliance and emotive interpretation.

Since making his soloist debut at just nine years old, Shan has performed with many of New Zealand’s leading orchestras, including the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, NZSO National Youth Orchestra, Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, Auckland Youth Orchestra, Manukau Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Symphony Orchestra, Bay of Plenty Symphonia, St. Matthew’s Chamber Orchestra, and Orchestra Auckland. Alongside these orchestral engagements, Shan has also collaborated with esteemed conductors such as Jaime Martín, Tianyi Lu, André de Ridder, James Judd, Hamish McKeich, Uwe Grodd, Brent Stewart, Michael Joel, among others, further enriching his musical journey. His artistry continues to enthral audiences, distinguished by a rare blend of virtuosity, maturity, and expressive depth that marks him as one of the most compelling young talents of his generation.