Biography
Among the foremost classical pianists of his era, Yundi Li—widely recognized as Yundi or YUNDI—ranks second only to Lang Lang as the most prominent artist to emerge from China. Instant renown arrived when he claimed victory at the 2000 International Chopin Competition in Warsaw, after which he cultivated a steadily expanding international audience through widely praised recitals and multiple award-winning releases. Interpretively versatile, he produces a rich, Romantic warmth in Chopin and Liszt, shifts to a sharper, more intense tone for Prokofiev’s Second Concerto, and adopts a buoyant, playful character in Ravel’s G major Concerto.
Born Li Yundi on October 7, 1982, he first played the accordion at age four and began piano lessons at seven. Remarkable early success followed: in 1995 he captured first prize at the U.S.-based Stravinsky International Youth Competition, then earned third place at the Liszt International and first prize at the Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition. At eighteen, he became the youngest pianist to win the Chopin Competition’s top award in 2000, instantly generating worldwide demand. Deutsche Grammophon issued his debut recording—an all-Chopin program—in 2003; that same year he made his Carnegie Hall debut to critical praise, while DG released his second album, devoted entirely to Liszt and named “Best CD of the Year” by The New York Times. Although first identified with Chopin and Liszt, his repertoire soon broadened to include Domenico Scarlatti, Mozart, Schumann, Prokofiev, and Ravel.
He established residence in Hong Kong in 2006. His 2007 DG recording of Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and Ravel’s G major Concerto, with Seiji Ozawa and the Berlin Philharmonic, reached bestseller status and appeared on the Classical Billboard chart; The New York Times again listed it among the year’s finest classical discs. After signing with EMI Classics in 2010, he maintained a regular recording schedule that included Live in Beijing (2011)—the first live album from the city’s National Centre for Performing Arts—and The Red Piano (2012), featuring piano works by Chinese composers. In 2020 Warner Classics issued his account of the Chopin Piano Concertos, in which he conducted the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra from the keyboard.
Born Li Yundi on October 7, 1982, he first played the accordion at age four and began piano lessons at seven. Remarkable early success followed: in 1995 he captured first prize at the U.S.-based Stravinsky International Youth Competition, then earned third place at the Liszt International and first prize at the Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition. At eighteen, he became the youngest pianist to win the Chopin Competition’s top award in 2000, instantly generating worldwide demand. Deutsche Grammophon issued his debut recording—an all-Chopin program—in 2003; that same year he made his Carnegie Hall debut to critical praise, while DG released his second album, devoted entirely to Liszt and named “Best CD of the Year” by The New York Times. Although first identified with Chopin and Liszt, his repertoire soon broadened to include Domenico Scarlatti, Mozart, Schumann, Prokofiev, and Ravel.
He established residence in Hong Kong in 2006. His 2007 DG recording of Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and Ravel’s G major Concerto, with Seiji Ozawa and the Berlin Philharmonic, reached bestseller status and appeared on the Classical Billboard chart; The New York Times again listed it among the year’s finest classical discs. After signing with EMI Classics in 2010, he maintained a regular recording schedule that included Live in Beijing (2011)—the first live album from the city’s National Centre for Performing Arts—and The Red Piano (2012), featuring piano works by Chinese composers. In 2020 Warner Classics issued his account of the Chopin Piano Concertos, in which he conducted the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra from the keyboard.