Florence Liu

Biography

FLORENCE LIU


Pianist Dr. Florence Liu enjoys a distinguished career as a soloist, collaborative artist, and dedicated pedagogue, recognized for performances of expressive depth and refined artistry across the United States, Europe, and Asia.

She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, where she studied with the legendary Abbey Simon, widely revered as the “Legend of Chopin.” Her doctoral work includes the dissertation A Survey of David Rakowski’s Piano Études, and conducted research on music in New York City from 1860–1880 that was published as part of the digital project Music in Gotham. Dr. Liu earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the Manhattan School of Music, where she received the President’s Award and studied with Marc Silverman, Solomon Mikowsky, and Donn-Alexander Feder. She further refined her artistry through studies with distinguished musicians including Karl Ulrich Schnabel, Arkady Aronov, Jerome Lowenthal, Eduardus Halim, and David Dubal.

Dr. Liu has appeared at leading venues including Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Merkin Hall, Taipei National Concert Hall, and the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing, as well as in performances throughout Europe. Her artistry has also been featured on New York’s classical music station WQXR. Her honors include prizes from the Dora Zaslavsky Piano Competition, the Artists International Special Presentation Award, and the Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society Young Musician Award, as well as finalist distinctions in the Hilton Head International Piano Competition. In recognition of her commitment to teaching, she has received multiple Pedagogy Teaching Excellence Awards.

Deeply committed to artistic mentorship, Dr. Liu serves on the piano faculty of the John J. Cali School of Music at Montclair State University, where she teaches piano performance, chamber music, and keyboard musicianship. A frequent adjudicator, she has served in numerous competitions and previously co-chaired the MEANJ Piano Competition. As President of the National League of Performing Arts, she curates masterclasses and competitions that provide young musicians with opportunities to perform on New York’s most prestigious stages. Under her visionary leadership, the organization cultivates meaningful connections between emerging artists and the professional musical world, fostering the next generation of musicians and inspiring a lifelong commitment to the art of music.

Research

Piano Performance
Piano Ensemble
Collaborative Piano
Keyboard Musicianship