Alan Liu

“Just wow,” writes the CBC in naming Alan Liu the first and youngest guitarist on their “30 Hot Musicians Under 30” program. As one of the youngest laureates of the Guitar Foundation of America International Concert Artist Competition, Alan is an active performer of concerto, solo, and chamber music, as well as an avid educator.

Alan’s past concerto engagements include performances with the Prince George Symphony Orchestra, Victoria Symphony, and Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. In 2023, he made his Lincoln Center debut with the Juilliard Chamber Orchestra. As a recitalist, he was a guest artist at the Northwest, Architecture of Music, Crown, Montreal, Okanagan, and QinLing International Guitar Festivals. As a chamber musician, he debuted at the Aspen Music School and Festival with Grammy-winner Sharon Isbin. Alan also worked with the Grammy-winning label Bridge Records on premiere recordings of works by Paul Lansky with the Curtis Guitar Quartet. He has also collaborated with Azura Sky Media on music by Lars Aksel Bisgaard.

Accumulating more than 30 competition prizes, Alan proved his artistry from a young age. Some of his early accolades include major prizes in the Guitar Foundation of America, Michele Pittaluga (Italy), Parkening, and Montreal (Canada) International Guitar Competitions. Recently, he was awarded the Sylva Gelber Music Foundation Award (Canada). He also received first prizes in the Denver, Indiana, Mercatali Gorizia (Italy), and Houston International Classical Guitar Competitions. Other top prizes include the Tallinn (Estonia) International Guitar Competition and the Guitar Foundation of America International Concert Artist Competition.

Alan teaches both privately and at Yale University. His private students have received numerous awards, including the YoungArts Award and top prizes in the Guitar Foundation of America, Chicago, Florida, Houston, and University of Louisville International Guitar Competitions. His students have also received scholarship acceptances to leading conservatories and universities. These include full-tuition scholarship offers to the Juilliard School, Berklee College of Music, and the Manhattan School of Music.

Alan holds a BM from the Curtis Institute of Music and an MM from the Juilliard School. He is the first guitarist to be accepted into the prestigious DMA program at the Yale School of Music in over a decade. At Yale, he received the Plank Music Residency Award, which is given annually two students of distinguished achievement in their major. Alan is completing his studies with João Luiz; his mentors include Sharon Isbin, Jason Vieaux, David Starobin, Ben Verdery, Daniel Bolshoy, Michael Partington, Jonathan Leathwood, Rene Izquierdo, Keiko Alexander, LayTuan Tan, Ping Jin, and Xia Yang.

Alan plays on Augustine Strings, the original producers of nylon strings for guitar. He uses instruments made by renowned luthiers Martin Blackwell and Altamira Guitars’ Hanson Yao.