Eric Lu (born on December 15, 1997) is an award-winning Chinese-American classical pianist, signaled by many as one of the greatest classical performers of his generation. Lu, who was born and raised in Massachusetts, showed music aptitude from a very young age and began studying at New England Conservatory Preparatory School while still a child. As his academic career progressed, he decided to enroll at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia in 2013, where he studied under Jonathan Biss and Robert McDonald. Only two years later, Lu became one of the youngest musicians to receive the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition prize at the age of 17. A 2016 tour through Japan and Korea ensued, accompanied by the Warsaw Philharmonic, after which Lu was awarded the International German Piano Award in Frankfurt. Shortly after, he became one of the youngest musicians to ever win the First Prize and Gold Medal at the Leeds International Piano Competition, which landed him a record deal with Warner Classics. In 2019, Lu had the chance to fill in for world-famous pianist Martha Argerich with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and played BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. After several legendary performances throughout the world, Lu released his studio debut in 2020, featuring Chopin’s 24 Préludes, Brahms’ Intermezzo Op. 117 No. 1, and Schumman’s Geistervariationen. Best known for his interpretations of Chopin, Eric Lu won the prestigious International Frédéric Chopin Competition in Warsaw in October 2025, ten years after receiving 4th Prize. In 2026, the pianiste released the album Schubert: Impromptus, Opp. 90 & 142.
