31 August 2025 — former prodigy Niu Niu gave a spellbinding long-awaited Singapore debut at the Victoria Concert Hall. Performing on the magnificent C. Bechstein D282, he brought the instrument to life with a program that journeyed from sparkling playfulness to towering drama, all while holding the audience in transfixed attention.
The evening opened with Mendelssohn’s Rondo Capriccioso, its shifts of character perfectly matched to Niu Niu’s lightness of touch and natural sense of play. The music seemed to dance across his hands with infectious joy, his enjoyment evident in the smile on his face, as though a favorite recording had suddenly sprung into vibrant life.
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in Liszt’s transcription followed, commanding the room with its sheer presence. In the brief pause after the first movement, the silence was so absolute one could hear a pin drop, the audience suspended in awe. The scherzo’s fugal counterpoint unfolded with pristine clarity, every line shaped with control and intelligence. Beethoven’s themes returned with inexorable force, as if fate itself were knocking at the door. It was a moment of grandeur, raw energy, and inevitability.
After such intensity, Brahms’ Intermezzo in A major offered a tender re-entry. Its lilting harmonies and flowing lines carried a timeless intimacy, yet in Niu Niu’s hands it felt fresh and modern, as though written just yesterday.
Then, after another pin-drop pause, came Liszt’s Sonata in B Minor. Here, the Bechstein was pushed to its absolute limits, its shimmering treble and resonant bass fully unleashed under Niu Niu’s command. The Sonata’s vast structure, equal parts drama, poetry, and transcendence, found a masterful interpreter in him. Rarely has the D282 sung with such brilliance, power, and depth; it felt as though the instrument itself had been waiting for this encounter, a moment that echoed the very origins of C. Bechstein, founded to create a piano capable of withstanding Liszt’s own formidable virtuosity.
The evening closed to a rapturous ovation, with two encores that revealed Niu Niu’s personal artistry. First came Sunny Day, a piece he composed after being frustrated by gloomy weather; he shared with the audience that, almost magically, whenever he performs it, the day brightens—a charming detail that matched the piece’s radiant, bossa-infused jazzy cheer. Finally, his Classical Firework Medley compressed nine iconic works into five exhilarating minutes. Describing it as “convenient” for tight encore slots, he set the hall alight with virtuosity, humour and wit, wrapping up the evening on a joyful note.
Niu Niu’s Singapore debut recital was a communion between artist, instrument, and audience. The evening left no doubt that Singapore has just witnessed a remarkable voice in today’s piano world, one that balances playfulness with profundity, and precision with passion.
Be sure to follow Bechstein Music World and True Music Singapore on their socials for more updates on concerts like this one. We certainly look forward to the next event in their 2025 lineup!