Julian Chan

Pianist / Keyboardist

5.0 (2 Reviews)

Country: United Kingdom
Based In: Guildford, South East
Performs: Worldwide
From: £400

Recognised for the “sheer beauty and timbral variety” of his playing by the International Piano Magazine, award-winning musician Julian Chan is rapidly developing a reputation as one of the most innovative pianists of his generation.

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Description

Post-conservatoire level experience in classical and/or background piano music, with jazz and folk capabilities. I am experienced in giving performances, talks, interviews, and love interacting with audience members!

Set-List

Repertoire including but certainly not limited to:
Albéniz Iberia: “Lavapiés”
Alkan 25 Preludes, Op. 31
Alkan Grande sonate « Les quatre âges », Op. 33
Alkan Etude in C major, Op. 35 No. 4
Alkan 12 Etudes in All the Minor Keys, Op. 39
J S Bach French Suite No. 5 in G major, BWV 816
J S Bach Musikalishes Opfer, BWV 1079: Ricercar a 6
J S Bach Partita No. 1 in B-flat major, BWV 825
J S Bach Suite in F minor, BWV 823
J S Bach WTC Book 1: Prelude and Fugue in E-flat major
J S Bach WTC Book 1: Prelude and Fugue in F minor
J S Bach WTC Book 1: Prelude and Fugue in ... B-flat major
J S Bach WTC Book 2: Prelude and Fugue in D-sharp minor
J S Bach WTC Book 2: Prelude and Fugue in E major
Beethoven Sonata in C major, Op. 2 No. 3
Beethoven Sonata in F major, Op. 10 No. 2
Beethoven Sonata in G major, Op. 31 No. 1
Beethoven Sonata in F minor, Op. 57
Beethoven Sonata in F-sharp major, Op. 78
Berg Piano Sonata, Op. 1
Bizet Chants du Rhin
Brahms Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel, Op. 24
Brahms Variations on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 35: Book 1
Bruckner Fantasie, WAB 118
Chopin Ballade No. 2 in F major, Op. 38
Chopin Ballade No. 3 in A-flat major, Op. 47
Chopin Études, Op. 10 (selection)
Chopin Études, Op. 25 (selection)
Chopin Fantaisie in F minor, Op. 49
Chopin Polonaise in A-flat major, Op. 53
Chopin Scherzo No. 3 in C-sharp minor, Op. 39
Chopin Scherzo No. 4 in E major, Op. 54
F Couperin Sixième Ordre de Clavecin (selection)
Damase Introduction et Allegro
Debussy Étude pour les degrés chromatiques, L. 136 No. 7
Debussy Estampes, L. 100
Debussy Images Book 2, L. 111
Debussy Prélude « …Feux d'artifice », L. 123 No. 12
Dutilleux Prelude No. 3 « Le jeu des contraires »
Elgar Concert Allegro, Op. 46
Godowsky Java Suite
Godowsky Passacaglia
H Jadin Sonata in F-sharp minor, Op. 4 No. 2
Liszt Années de pèlerinage II, Supplément, S.162
Liszt Ballade No. 2 in B minor, S. 171
Liszt Deux légendes, S. 175
Liszt Grandes études de Paganini, S. 141:
II. Andante capriccioso
VI. Quasi presto, a capriccio
Liszt Réminiscences des Huguenots, S. 412
Liszt Sonata in B minor, S. 178
Liszt Transcendental Études, S. 139: VIII. Wilde Jagd
Lysenko Rhapsody on Ukrainian Themes No. 2, Op. 18
Medtner 4 Tales, Op. 26
Medtner Sonata Tragica, Op. 39 No. 5
Messiaen Cantéyodjayâ
Messiaen Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus:
I. Regard du Père
VII. Regard de la Croix
VIII. Regard des hauteurs
X. Regard de l’Esprit de joie
XIV. Regard des Anges
XVI. Regard des prophètes, des bergers et des Mages
XVII. Regard du silence
Meyerbeer/Alkan Sinfonia from « Le prophète »
Mompou Paisajes
Mozart Sonata in C minor, K. 457
Poulenc Trois Novelettes
Prokofiev Sonata No. 7, Op. 83
Rachmaninoff Étude-Tableaux, Op. 33 (selection)
Rachmaninoff Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor, Op. 36
Rameau Suite in D major: Les Cyclopes
Rameau Suite in G major (selection)
Rautavaara Sonata No. 2 “The Fire Sermon”
Ravel Sonatine, M. 40
Ravel Miroirs, M. 43 (selection)
Rzewski North American Ballads: IV. Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues
Saint-Saëns Études, Op. 111: VI. Toccata
Scriabin Étude in C-sharp minor, Op. 42 No. 5
Scriabin Étude in E-flat major, Op. 42 No. 8
Scriabin Four Pieces, Op. 56
Scriabin Sonata No. 4 in F-sharp major, Op. 30
Scriabin Sonata No. 5, Op. 53
Schubert Sonata in A minor, D. 784
Schubert Sonata in D major, D. 850
Schubert Sonata in C minor, D. 958
Schumann Bunte Blätter, Op. 99
Schumann Fantasie in C major, Op. 17
Sweelinck Fantasia Ut re mi fa sol la, a 4 voci, FVB 118
Szymanowski Variations in B-flat minor, Op. 3
Szymanowski Métopes, Op. 29
Tchaikovsky Grand Sonata in G major, Op. 37
Yan-Ee Toh mantle movements #1
Vitols 3 Preludes, Op. 10
Vitols Variations on a Latvian Theme, Op. 6
Wagner/Kocsis Feuerzauber aus der Oper „die Walküre“
Wagner/Liszt Ouvertüre zu Tannhäuser, S. 442
Weber/Godowsky Aufforderung zum Tanz (contrapuntal arrangement)

Biography

Recognised for the “sheer beauty and timbral variety” (International Piano Magazine) of his playing, Julian Chan is rapidly developing a reputation as one of the most innovative pianists of his generation. Performing music by a particularly diverse range of composers, he has given alluring recitals featuring works by figures from Sweelinck to Messiaen, from Alkan to Rzewski, unifying these various styles in a captivating manner.
He has performed at a range of prestigious venues across Europe and Asia, including Wigmore Hall, Southbank Centre, Nanjing Poly Theatre, the Sheldonian Theatre ... , and Palau de la Música Catalana.
Julian has given performances with numerous artists of international renown, including Anthony Marwood, Richard Lester, John Myerscough, Dénes Várjon, Natasha Brofsky, Dale Barltrop, and Charlie Lovell-Jones; distinguished conductors with whom he has performed include Jessica Cottis, Dominic Grier, Ryan Wigglesworth, Ben Glassberg, Jonathan Berman, and John Gibbons.
In recent years, Julian has been awarded First Prize and Sonata Prize at the Nanyang International Music Competition, Singapore, Second Prize at the Jazeps Vitols International Piano Competition, Latvia, the Royal Over-Seas League Collaborative Piano Award, First Prize at the Norah Sande Award, and First Prize at the Coulsdon and Purley Festival with his performance of Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto.
Julian’s debut solo album – exploring the vibrant Java Suite by Leopold Godowsky and its rich textures and tapestries – was released with Linn Records in December 2025 to international acclaim: it garnered the titles of Album of the Week (NPO Klassiek) and Classical Record of the Day (Radio France), with Julian hailed as “every inch the colourist and tone painter” (International Piano Magazine).
A passionate composer and performer of new music, Julian has collaborated with eminent composers such as Hans Abrahamsen, Anna Thorvaldsdottir, Jörg Widmann, Deborah Pritchard, Elena Langer, and Peter Seabourne. Julian had his first book of compositions published at age 6, earning him the title of Malaysia’s Youngest Composer.
In 2024–25, Julian was recipient of the Aud Jebsen Fellowship at the Royal Academy of Music, where he previously studied with Ian Fountain and Michael Dussek. He is graciously supported by the Royal Over-Seas League and the Keyboard Charitable Trust.

Reviews (2 Reviews)

Julian Chan - Pianist / Keyboardist - Guildford, South East Event Location: Worthing Assembly Hall, Worthing, UK Event Type: Piano concerto evening 17th May 2026

"An emerging Malaysian piano ace delivered a double shock to his captured audience having already astonished them with the executional prowess and expressive power of Tchaikovsky’s second success at writing a Piano Concerto. "Hands usually a-blur in bravura passage work, at other times percussive onto the keys like tympanist’s flashing drumsticks. Chan’s relish plain, for Tchaikovsky’s grandest Russian celebration and bravado as much as for his tenderness and self-doubting reserve. And then Chan’s launching at fearless speed of the finale’s rattlingly catchy Cossack dances." "His solo encore of Bizet showed deep, sensitive touch and earned him another two curtain calls. He’s already played Tchaikovsky No 1 and Rachmaninov No 3 here with Dominic Grier and the Worthing Philharmonic, to the same erupting acclaim."

Reviewed by: Richard Amey

Julian Chan - Pianist / Keyboardist - Guildford, South East Event Location: Royal Academy of Music, London, UK Event Type: Album recording 6th March 2026

"I first heard the young Malaysian pianist and composer Julian Chan on YouTube, from the 2019 Nanyang International Music Competition, when he gave a superb performance of Leopold Godowsky’s formidable Passacaglia. Given how naturally Chan takes to Godowsky’s serpentine harmonic language and polytextural complexity, it comes as no surprise that he’s completely at home in the Java Suite. In contrast to Tobias Borsboom’s recent recording (TRPTK, reviewed Summer 2025), Chan doesn’t undersell the music’s surface virtuosity, yet he’s every inch the colourist and tone painter. The opening piece, ‘Gamelan’, bears this out – listen to how Chan balances the languid ostinatos against the marcato melodies, while truly letting go in the climaxes. The sheer beauty and timbral variety that Chan achieves in ‘Puppet Shadow Plays’ results from the pianist’s taking Godowsky’s expressive directives from dolcissimo to agitato on faith."

Reviewed by: Jed Distler

Experience

20 years experience performing at the piano, with a Bachelor of Music and Master of Arts from the Royal Academy of Music, London.
Julian has performed at a range of prestigious venues across Europe and Asia, including Wigmore Hall, Southbank Centre, Nanjing Poly Theatre, the Sheldonian Theatre, and Palau de la Música Catalana.

Previous Clients

Julian has given solo performances at:
Oxford International Piano Series
C. Bechstein Centrum, Cologne & Düsseldorf
International Interview Concerts
Steinway Hall
Topsham Music Festival
Wigmore Hall
St James’s Piccadilly
And chamber performances at:
Sinfonia Smith Square
Yellow Barn, Putney, Vermont
Peasmarsh Chamber Music Festival
Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford
Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford
Lavaterhaus, Zürich
Southbank Centre
Bösendorfer Salon
Palau de la Música Catalana
Wigmore Hall

Suitable for

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