Meng-Chieh Liu 劉孟捷, Pianist

A recipient of the 2002 Avery Fisher Career Grant, Meng-Chieh Liu first made headlines in 1993 as a 21-year-old student, when he substituted for André Watts at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia with three hours’ notice. His acclaimed performance was followed by a number of widely praised appearances, including a recital at the Kennedy Center.

Mr. Liu has performed with orchestras under conductors Christoph Eschenbach, Gustavo Dudamel and Alan Gilbert, among others. His concerts have been broadcast around the world, and Taiwanese National Television has aired a documentary on his life. A dedicated chamber musician, he has collaborated with musicians in North America, Europe, and Asia, in addition to working with artists in other disciplines, including Mikhail Baryshnikov and his White Oak Dance Project. He is the artistic director of Chicago Chamber Musicians, which he joined in 2009.

Mr. Liu received his Bachelor of Music degree from the Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied with Jorge Bolet, Eleanor Sokoloff, and Claude Frank. He received first prizes in the Stravinsky, Asia Pacific Piano, and Mieczyslaw Munz competitions.

Mr. Liu has been a member of the Curtis Institute of Music faculty since 1993 and also serves on the faculties of Roosevelt University and the New England Conservatory. (English information from Curtis Institute of Music)

鋼琴家劉孟捷，曾經在1985年轟動臺灣樂壇，贏得國際亞太鋼琴大賽，13歲就讀師大附中音樂班國中部時就被美國知名費城寇蒂斯音樂學院錄取。畢業前夕， 劉孟捷以柯蒂斯音樂學院學生之姿，代替鋼琴大師安德烈．瓦茲（André Watts）於費城音樂廳演出，這個完美的演出登上了費城當地的新聞頭條，也為他贏得許多高度的讚賞。

正值演奏事業如曙光乍現時，劉孟捷被一場突如其來的罕見疾病中斷，亢奮的免疫系統侵蝕了他全身的肌肉、皮膚、關節和心臟等組織。在住院一年多期間，經歷癱瘓、全身無法動彈的日子。醫生一度認為他活下來的機會微乎其微，即使能僥倖存活，也不可能繼續他的鋼琴演奏生涯。但劉孟捷憑著堅毅的決心與嚴酷的物理治療，通過重重考驗，奇蹟似的恢復健康，並繼續活躍在他的演奏舞台上。這一段浴火重生的歷程，非但沒有擊垮他，反而讓他深悟音樂的精髓，使他的音樂境界更上一層樓。

多年來，劉孟捷不僅以演奏家的身分活躍於國際樂壇上，現今在教育界也相當有名氣。其演出被《芝加哥古典樂評》讚譽為「完美無缺、謹慎平衡的鋼琴演奏」。