| Singapore
Albert Tiu was born in Cebu, Philippines, and has been called “an artist of uncommon abilities” by American Record Guide. His album The Classical Elements, featuring twenty pieces grouped under Earth, Air, Water and Fire elements, was rated 5 stars in International Piano and praised by Fanfare for a “fascinating recital containing some stunning playing.” His 2010 tribute to Chopin, Nocturnal Fantasies, featuring pairs of similarly-titled works by Chopin and Scriabin, was dubbed as “one of the all-time great piano recordings” by Fanfare.
Now head of Piano Department at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, National University of Singapore, professor Tiu studied with Jerome Lowenthal at the Juilliard School, with Michael Lewin at Boston Conservatory, and with Nita Abrogar-Quinto and Nelly Castro in the Philippines. Recipient of Juilliard’s William Petschek Award and prizewinner of competitions in Calgary (Honens), Helsinki (Maj Lind) and Santander (Paloma O’Shea), he also won the first prize and two concerto prizes at the 1996’s UNISA International Piano Competition in Pretoria, South Africa.
Known for his innovative programming, he has presented thought-provoking thematic recitals, like Chopin: Before & Beyond (works that influenced Chopin and works inspired by Chopin), and Bee Flat (the two Sonatas in B-flat by L. van Beethoven). He has performed with the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Hamburg Symphony, Finnish Radio Symphony, Gstaad Festival, Calgary Philharmonic, Winnipeg Symphony, Johannesburg Philharmonic, Saigon Philharmonic, and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestras. In 2005, he gave the Singapore premiere of Samuel Barber’s Piano Concerto with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.
Other recent recording projects include collaborations with violist Zh. Manchin whilst performing the Brahms Viola Sonatas, and with tenor A. Bennett in Schubert’s Winterreise (both on Centaur); with violinist K. Ning in Road Movies - a Meridian records featuring American composers; and with cellist Q. Li-Wei in two recordings of Beethoven and Rachmaninoff, published by Decca. He has also collaborated with violinist P. Amoyal and violist N. Imai in the recital.
His “tiudents” have distinguished themselves in competitions and festivals around the world, and have pursued further studies in North America and Europe. Aside from teaching, he has adjudicated in international piano competitions in France, Denmark, New Zealand, Thailand and Indonesia.
He is addicted to Angry Birds, a constant source of humor in the family and in his studio, but somehow he still manages to practice the piano. When the season starts, his addiction spreads to ice hockey, in which he supports the Pittsburgh Penguins.
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