Biography

Pianist Franky Leung Jr., was praised by the critics as “flamboyant virtuoso”, his pianism has been described as “thrilling, tension, turmoil, hope and majesty”.

Mr. Leung had won numerous top prizes in national and international competitions. Among them, he won Gold Medals and Special Crystal Award at the United States Open Music Competition in all Solo, Concerto and Chamber Ensemble Category, 1st prize at the San Jose Young Artist Competition, 1st prize at the Coeur d’Alene Symphony Young Artist Competition, 1st Prize at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Piano Concerto Competition, 1st Prize at the Bell T. Ritchie Award Competition, 1st Prize at the Susan Torres Award in Fresno. 1st Prize at the H.K Piano Concerto Open Class Competition, 1st Prize at the Junior Exhibition Award and he was also the recipient of the Prestige Hong Kong Music Ambassador Award, where he commenced a concerto tour in Hong Kong and United Kingdom, with the Brighton Youth Orchestra bestowed on Mr. Leung his Honorary Lifetime Membership. Besides, he also won Top Prizes at the American Protégé International Piano and Strings Competition, Mozart Piano Concerto Open Competition in China, First Toyama Asian Open Piano Contest, Asian Open Piano Competition, Rio Hondo Symphony Young Artist Competition, Sturm-Page Piano Competition and the San Francisco Young Pianist’ Competition.

Mr. Leung holds Diploma and Advanced Diploma from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Fellowship Diploma from the Trinity College London of Music, Bachelor and Master Degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music; thus he was the department head’s teaching assistant, keyboard department assistant, and student advisory committee, he had also received the piano department honors and graduated on Dean list. Later on he was accepted to the Boston University for the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree. His major teacher included Eleanor Wong, Mack McCray, Yoshikazu Nagai, Fabio Bidini and Boaz Sharon.

Mr. Leung had participated in several festival and master classes, studying with Emanuel Ax, Alfred Brendel, Leon Fleisher, Leslie Howard, Paul Hersh, Stephen Hough, Akira Imai, Jeno Jando, Veronica Jochum, Vladimir Kraniev, Gabriel Kwok, Sharon Mann, Steven Mayer, Yoshikazu Nagai, John O’conar, Menahem Pressler, Jerome Rose, Roberta Rust, Boaz Sharon, Jeffery Swann, Melvyn Tan, Tian Ying and Dan Zhaoyi. Mr. Leung has recently worked with renowned violinist Takako Nishizaki, Krill Troussov and Wen Wei for chamber music concert.

His recent performance included concerto concert with the Coeur d’Alene Symphony and SFCM Orchestra, piano recitals in Santa Clara Sherman Clay Recital Hall, Walnut Creek Rossmoor Hall, Oakland Inter-Stake Center Auditorium, San Francisco Pacific Union Golden Gate Presidio Hall, Caroline Hume Concert Hall, Knuth Hall, Hong Kong Town Hall, Tsuen Wan Town Hall, Shatin Town Hall, Contra Costa Performing Arts Series, Dance Palace Performing Arts Series, Saint Francis Wood Music Club Series, and the America Liszt Society Concert Series for the past 3 years as well.

He is currently judges for several international competitions in Asia, piano instructor at the Education University of Hong Kong and Guest Lecturer at the Normal University of Hangzhou. He has also given lectures at Taichung Tunghai University and The New Taipei Municipal Senior High School.