Derek Zhi Guang Chiu, piano

b. July 24, 1977

“...adept at playing many different types of piano literature, having particular affinity for the music of the Classical period, especially that of Mozart, a composer in which he truly understood. Also, his technical mastery of the keyboard allowed him to easily perform the more difficult works of Franz Liszt and Sergei Rachmaninoff.” – Steinway Artist Joel Hastings

“The graduate of the Manhattan School of Music captivated the intimate crowd.” – Medicine Hat News

“Derek is an incredibly skilled and effective online music teacher. His vibrant personality and deep experience as an instructor make his online lesson engaging and productive. He has a top-notch studio setup and a broad capacity for using technology in his teaching. This creates a seamless and highly successful digital learning environment for his students.” – John Scully, Educational Online Program Specialist - The Royal Conservatory

Derek Zhi Guang Chiu is a highly acclaimed Canadian pianist and music educator who has gained international recognition for his work. He is renowned for his versatility as a performer, music educator, clinician, adjudicator, and consultant. Chiu has garnered numerous awards and accolades throughout his career, including the prestigious Steinway & Sons Top Piano Teacher Award in Calgary on three separate occasions. His accomplishments in the field of music education have earned him a highly respected position within the industry.

As a performer, Chiu has presented solo and chamber music recitals in Canada, England, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United States. His orchestral engagements have encompassed performances with the Windsor Community Orchestra, Briercrest College Orchestra, Rockland Symphony Orchestras, The Rocky Mountain Symphony Orchestra, and the Simon Fraser University Concert Orchestra. He has collaborated onstage with esteemed partners such as Roberto Cani, David Lakirovich, John Lowry, Laszlo Mezo, Sean Wang, and Dara Lynn Zusko. In 2021, Chiu collaborated with Canadian composer Vince Ho on his composition "The Twelve Chinese Zodiac Animals, Book 1." In 2022, he gave the world premiere performance of the pieces in Canada, followed by subsequent performances in Germany, Italy, and the United States.

Chiu's expertise in online music education has been invaluable during and after the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly when many music teachers faced the challenge of transitioning to remote teaching. He was sought out by other music teachers interested in establishing a virtual teaching presence. Chiu provides personalized consultations to teachers and demonstrates various online programs, resources, and apps that can enhance e-learning. He has also led professional development workshops to assist music teachers in adapting to online teaching.

Chiu is a dedicated piano pedagogue who has conducted pedagogical workshops on the use of technology in the teaching studio, cognitive practice, aural skills development, sight- reading, Baroque performance practice, and music memorization. His academic lectures have delved into the music of Bach, Chopin, Liszt, and Mozart. Chiu has presented at the Colorado State Music Teachers’ Conference, The Colburn School, The University of Windsor, and

Lakehead University, among others. Additionally, he serves as a clinician for The Royal Conservatory of Music and has conducted workshops in both Canada and the United States.

Chiu is a member of the online teaching team at Virtuosity.Online, where the mission is to cultivate curiosity and inspire personal exploration for musicians' practice, shared online. He has led lectures on piano technique, motivating teenagers, and a four-part series on teaching, studying, and performing the keyboard works of Mozart.

In Calgary, Chiu maintains a private studio where his piano students have earned scholarships to attend undergraduate and graduate music schools. They have also received gold medals from The Royal Conservatory of Music and have won prizes at local, national, and international piano competitions. Beyond Calgary, he is on the Faculty of the Cremona International Music Academy (Italy) and the Vancouver Island Music Academy. Chiu is sought after as a master class clinician, ensemble coach, and guest teacher.

In November 2013, he was honored with The Odyssey Award by the University of Windsor Alumni Association. The award recognizes alumni who are in the early stages of their career path, having distinguished themselves through successes in career endeavors, notable achievements in their local community, or through significant or innovative achievements in their professional or personal lives. Chiu’s performance that evening was hailed as the “highlight” of the Alumni Association’s annual awards night.

His extensive training includes mentorship with notable Canadian teachers Dr. E. Gregory Butler and Joel Hastings at The University of Windsor. While in Windsor, Chiu pursued additional studies in piano pedagogy with Dr. Thomas Green, Chief Examiner Emeritus of the Royal Conservatory of Music. Under the guidance of Solomon Mikowsky (featured in Benjamin Saver’s book "The Most Wanted Piano Teachers in the USA") and Donn-Alexandre Feder at The Manhattan School of Music in New York, Chiu graduated with a Master of Music degree in 2003. During his studies at the Manhattan School of Music, Chiu was mentored in chamber music by pianist Daniel Epstein of the Raphael Trio and engaged in rigorous studies in Baroque and Classical performance practices with the late Kenneth Cooper, one of the world’s foremost music specialists in the music from those eras. Chiu has participated in master classes in Canada, Europe, and the United States, with instructors such as Janina Fialkowska, Robin Harrison, James Howsmon, Lorrin Hollander, Ramzi Yassa, Cecilio Tieles, and Jesus Angel Rodriguez.

He is an Ambassador for the Royal Conservatory and a member of their College of Examiners. Chiu is featured on CBC Music’s website, discussing the topic of teens and piano lessons.

To connect with Derek Chiu, please visit his website www.derekchiumusicstudio.ca and his Instagram: @derekchiupiano.