Albert Tiu

Prof Albert Tiu is a Professor and Head of Piano Studies at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, National University of Singapore, holding the Madeline Goh Professorship in Piano. Born in Cebu, Philippines, he is renowned for technically accomplished and innovative performances, with recordings like Grand Russian and Nocturnal Fantasies receiving critical acclaim. His thematic recitals explore connections between composers and eras, such as Chopin: Before & Beyond and Bee Flat. He has performed with orchestras including the St. Petersburg Philharmonic and Singapore Symphony, and collaborated with artists like Maxim Vengerov and Pierre Amoyal.

Education:

• Juilliard School (studied under Jerome Lowenthal)
• Boston Conservatory (with Michael Lewin)
• Studied in the Philippines under Nita Abrogar-Quinto and Nelly Castro

Research Interests: Prof Tiu focuses on 19th-century Russian piano repertoire, Romantic aesthetics, and inventive program curation. His work emphasizes contextualizing composers through thematic pairings and exploring performance techniques that bridge historical and modern interpretations. He actively promotes collaborative music-making across genres and eras.

Awards:

• First Prize and two concerto prizes at the 1996 UNISA International Piano Competition
• Juilliard’s William Petschek Award

Teaching & Other Contributions: As Head of Piano Studies, he mentors students (dubbed 'Tiudents') who excel globally in competitions and pursue advanced studies. He adjudicates international piano competitions in multiple countries and integrates innovative pedagogy into his teaching. His studio culture is enlivened by personal quirks like Angry Birds humor and seasonal ice hockey fandom.

Recent Projects: Collaborations include Brahms Viola Sonatas with Zhang Manchin, Schubert’s Winterreise with Alan Bennett, and Beethoven/Rachmaninov works with Qin Li-Wei. His pandemic-era performance of Mozart’s Piano Concerto K.488 with the Singapore Symphony marked a symbolic return to live music.