BEETHOVEN 200

Beethoven’s death in 1827 left behind an incalculable musical legacy that has never waned, including his genre-redefining piano sonatas. The 33rd Singapore International Piano Festival presents the 32 sonatas in the 200th anniversary year of his passing, performed by six of the world’s finest pianists. From moonlit melancholy to pastoral joy, sublime tranquility to profound angst, and cheeky humour to thunderous outbursts, Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas encompass the complete spectrum of the human condition, reflecting his poignant struggle with growing deafness and his indefatigable drive to transcend all limits.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

The Singapore International Piano Festival (SIPF) was established in 1994, when solo piano recitals were a rare event in the country. Over the decades, the festival has become a highlight of the international music calendar and is today Asia’s premier piano festival.

SIPF takes the unique approach of presenting recitals by four different pianists over a series of consecutive evenings. Past editions of the festival have featured such virtuosos as Martha Argerich, Nelson Freire, Yuja Wang, Stephen Kovacevich, Nikolai Demidenko, Pascal Rogé, Piotr Anderszewski, Stephen Hough, Benjamin Grosvenor, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Seong-Jin Cho, Dang Thai Son, Kun Woo Paik, Marc-André Hamelin, Paul Lewis, Angela Hewitt, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Robert Levin and Yeol Eum Son.

The festival is presented by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and held in Singapore's historic Victoria Concert Hall.

Festival Director: Albert Tiu

Called “an artist of uncommon abilities” by American Record Guide, Albert Tiu is known for his innovative programming, praised for such thought-provoking thematic recitals as “Chopin: Before & Beyond” and “Nocturnal Fantasies - Chopin and Skryabin”. As soloist, he has performed with the orchestras of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Hamburg Symphony, Finnish Radio Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic, Winnipeg Symphony, Singapore Symphony and Philippine Philharmonic. In 2005, he gave the Singapore premiere of Samuel Barber’s Piano Concerto with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, with whom he has also played concertos by Schumann and Hindemith as well as Mozart’s Piano Concerto K. 488 under the baton of Hans Graf.

“Even with some legendary competition in this repertoire, Tiu stands tall with his interpretations and technical accomplishment,” said ARG of Albert’s Grand Russian album on Centaur Records, pairing Tchaikovsky’s Grand Sonata and Rachmaninov’s 1st Sonata. A previous disc, The Classical Elements, featuring twenty pieces grouped under Earth, Air, Water and Fire, was rated 5 Stars in International Piano and praised by Fanfare as a “fascinating recital containing some stunning playing.”

Albert is 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, Albert studied with Jerome Lowenthal at the Juilliard School, with Michael Lewin at Boston Conservatory, and with Nita Abrogar-Quinto and Nelly Castro in the Philippines. He is a recipient of Juilliard’s William Petschek Award and a prizewinner of competitions in Pretoria (UNISA), Calgary (Honens), Helsinki (Maj Lind) and Santander (Paloma O’Shea). In 2025, Albert was appointed Artistic Director of the Singapore International Piano Festival.