Two of the world’s best young piano virtuosi will each give a piano recital at the ongoing Abu Dhabi Festival 2010, an arts and culture event featuring more than 90 events over three weeks.

Organised by the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (Admaf), Abu Dhabi Festival 2010 opened on March 20 to run until April 7 featuring world-class performances in traditional, classical and jazz music, drama, fine arts, ballet and strong education and community programmes.

Japanese pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii and China-born Yundi Li will give piano recitals as part of the Chopin Bicentennial celebration, which is a core theme in this year’s festival.

Tsujii will give his piano recital at The Emirates Palace on March 28 with a programme dedicated to the works of Chopin and Liszt.

“I am looking forward to celebrating the Chopin Bicentennial at the Abu Dhabi Festival. Chopin has been a real focus for me this year and I have recently recorded the pieces I am going to perform in Abu Dhabi for my new CD released in March,” said Nobuyuki Tsujii, joint-winner of the Nancy Lee and Perry R Bass gold medal at the 13th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in June 2009.

Yundi Li’s piano recital at The Emirates Palace is on April 1 and will feature a programme of Chopin piano works.

“I have always had a special connection with the music of the great romantic composer, Chopin, who wrote prolifically for the piano,” said Yundi Li.

“It was a great honour for me to win the Chopin Competition back in 2000 and now to perform as part of the special celebrations of Chopin’s Bicentennial at the Abu Dhabi Festival. I will be playing some of Chopin’s most loved pieces and I am looking forward to the concert immensely,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service