Tianyao Lyu on Her Music Journey:"For me, everything is only just the beginning"

Written by Joseph John L. Verallo | April 19, 2026

In the halls of the National Philharmonic in Warsaw, a then sixteen-year-old Tianyao Lyu amazed audiences when she played with such emotional maturity the works of Frederick Chopin. As she showed in her interview with the Veniccio team, Lyu not only has depth as a pianist, but she also exhibits a surprising amount of introspection for her age.

“I have never regarded ‘becoming a pianist’ as an identity that needs to be deliberately planned.” She shared. “For me, I am simply someone who loves music, studies music, and considers it the most important part of my life.”

“If I must speak of a direction, it would be to always be a sincere communicator of music.”

Lyu’s fascination with music began at the age of five, when she would play the piano with her father, as she shared with the Polish Press Agency. She would later study piano in Beijing under Chang Hua at the Affiliated Middle School of the Central Conservatory of Music.

Lyu also shared how it was her relationship with her grandmother that deepened her relationship with music. “My grandmother passed away from illness when I was eight years old.” The pianist said. “During her struggle, she listened every day to Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, and Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1.” She further shared:

“Music gave her immense strength during her most painful days. That experience taught me that music is not merely an art—it can be a force that sustains life. From that moment on, I hoped to bring that strength to others.”

Among other instruments, the piano, for Lyu, had a special characteristic to it. She noted:

“Its sound does not carry a fixed ‘identity’ in the way other instruments do. For example, a violin is immediately recognizable, with a very distinct timbral character. The piano’s sound, precisely because it does not resemble any specific human voice or instrument, can become anything and blend with everything. Perhaps because it is ‘nothing in particular,’ it can therefore be ‘everything.’”

Currently, Lyu is studying at the Poznań Academy of Music in Poland under the Polish pianist Katarzyna Popowa-Zydroń. Popowa-Zydroń had participated in the IX International Chopin Competition in 1975, where she received an honorable mention. Talking about her first encounters with the Polish pianist, Lyu shared,

“I will never forget meeting her for the first time in November 2023. After a masterclass, she played two nocturnes just for me. I could not stop my tears, yet she seemed to do nothing ‘intentionally.’ The music struck the deepest part of my soul with an indescribable power. In that moment, I found my direction and glimpsed the person I hope to become.”

Other than the depth of her interpretation during the XIX Chopin Competition, what struck audiences was how young Lyu was. “I never thought of myself as ‘one of the youngest contestants’ nor did I set a specific result as my goal,” Lyu said. “I simply felt that having the opportunity to perform more of Chopin’s works because of the competition was already a great happiness.”

Perhaps it was this pure intention of simply giving oneself up to the music that allowed Lyu to display her artistry. On how she approaches interpretation, she had this to say:

“For me, understanding the composer’s thoughts and language is more important than expressing myself. Once true understanding is reached, one’s own voice emerges naturally within it.”

Music, for Lyu, is almost this act of becoming. The more you play someone else’s notes, the more you seem to understand more of yourself. The result on stage becomes a hybrid of the composer and yourself. Lyu also related this to her experience working with several musicians of the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra.

“Although the rehearsal time was short, I tried to shape the breathing and direction according to the development of each passage, so that the orchestra could clearly sense my ideas. Because they are all great musicians, much of the communication required no words—the sparks naturally emerged on stage.”

On top of receiving fourth, Lyu was also the recipient of the Best Concerto Prize. Sharing her thoughts on the special nature of the concerto, Lyu said:

“For me, a concerto is a ‘mutual journey.’ It is not a monologue of the piano, but a dialogue.”

In particular, Lyu shared how the second movement of Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor especially resonated with her.

“The melody is pure, like a dream. When the piano intertwines with the orchestra, the concert hall becomes extraordinarily silent—a kind of emotion that needs no words to be understood. I believe that anyone who truly listens in stillness, even just once, will be moved.”

Lyu also expressed how winning Fourth Prize was secondary to her. “Awards were never what mattered most to me—the music itself and the growth throughout the process were far more important,” she said, “so when the results were announced, my first reaction was actually, ‘Finally, I can sleep!’”

For her, music is its own end, not a means for prizes and recognition. At a time when participating in competitions seems almost inevitable to make a name for yourself as a classical pianist, Lyu’s pure and genuine love of the music itself is something admirable.

“I viewed the competition as a concert that belonged to me, rather than as an arena.”

Music is something that naturally and deeply speaks to her as a person. Among all her hobbies—“horseback riding, skiing, skating, reading, learning Polish, drawing, writing, and composing”—it is the piano that resonates deepest for her.

“For me, playing the piano itself feels like resting—it is my most natural state.”

Beyond piano, she also mentioned how she liked to immerse herself in music in various ways.

“I love attending all kinds of concerts—choirs, musicals, performances by different instruments, even events in public squares, such as dancing the mazurka. I truly enjoy this vivid and authentic cultural atmosphere; it quietly nourishes my music.”

This year, Lyu looks forward to steady growth in her musical career. “First of all, continuing my studies with my teacher in a calm and focused way.” She said, “I also look forward to collaborating with more outstanding conductors and orchestras, gaining further experience on stage.”