Matthew Yu

Matthew Yu is a multi-talented 16 year-old from Vancouver, Canada. He started playing piano at age 4, learning with Ms. Rebecca Cheng, Michael Chen, and is currently studying with Dr. Sasha Starcevich.

Matthew developed his passion for music in 2013 when he attended his first group class at Tom Lee Music in Downtown Vancouver. He was so thrilled about playing the piano that he enrolled in the year-round Yamaha School of Music. Having graduated from the program in 2017, he received a scholarship for his outstanding performance.

Matthew loves to challenge his musical abilities through competitions. In 2016, he won the Classical Trophy after receiving the highest score in the Junior Division at the SPG Festival. Then at age 9, he was the 3rd place winner of the 2018 Steinway Piano Competition held in Vancouver. Matthew also placed 1st in the 2020 Crescendo International Competition in Carnegie Hall, New York. In 2021, he won the prestigious Grand Prize of the Little Mozart International Music Competition at only 12 years old. And after performing in 6 successive concerts in the Elite Young Artist Concert Series, Matthew acquired the Steinway Cup in July of 2022. The following year, he was the champion of the Sea-to-Sky International Piano Competition, and 3rd place winner in the 2023 Canadian Music Competition in Québec.

Having attained First Class Honors and Distinction on his ARCT piano diploma, Matthew loves to share his music with the community through recitals and concerts. After performing in numerous shows during the 2019 Japan Music Trip, Matthew was invited to play for celebrated Canadian clarinetist and composer Phil Nimmons at his private 96th birthday celebration in Toronto. In July of 2021, Matthew held his first Solo Piano Recital at the Tom Lee Music Hall dedicated to First Nations Communities, hoping to use music as a force of reconciliation. Moreover, he performed Alberto Ginastara’s “Danzas Argentinas” in the Skate Canada’s Got Talent Competition, and after sprinkling in a little digital magic, he was voted as the 2nd place winner out of all the entries across the country.

In addition to his solo achievements, Matthew has collaborated with many orchestras to raise funds for worthy causes. In April of 2017, he played Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major with the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra, helping to fundraise for the St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation. Matthew was featured in the 2019 Music For Love Charity Concerto Concert with the Vancouver Theatre Orchestra, seeking to benefit the Taiwan Fund for Children and Families.

Beyond learning pre-existing piano works, Matthew also composes his own pieces. At age 7, Matthew played his composition “Waiting for the Sunrise” at the Yamaha JOC Concert in Quebec. In April 2017, Matthew was a finalist in the Yamaha National Junior Original Concert in Calgary, performing his own songs “Aloha Party” and “The Storm”. Then in May of 2020, Matthew secured a spot in the final round of the Canadian Music Competition’s “Do Mi Si La Do Re” composition competition, involving participants of all ages across the country.

In the summer of 2024, Matthew was appointed the President Student Ambassador at Vancouver Piano Sessions (VPS), an annual ten-day international piano festival drawing students from Canada, USA, China, and South Korea. As a student ambassador, Matthew has worked for months to secure numerous long term corporate and media sponsors for the festival, expanded the outreach of VPS through multiple cities, organized exciting community building activities, emceed every concert, developed relationships with the City of Vancouver, and worked closely with the VPS Founders to improve the festival for the years to come. He also hosted the VPS Fundraising Concert on June 9th, 2024 where $35,000 were raised to advance the festival’s cause. As a participant of the VPS festival in both 2023 and 2024, Matthew has worked with world renowned pianists such as Ning An, Alexander Korsantia, Arthur Greene, and Steven Spooner. He’s performed in public masterclasses and the Emerging Artists Final Gala Concert, further enhancing his musical journey.

Matthew’s taste of music encompasses more than just classical genres. In fact, he is an active member in the School Jazz Band and Choir, performing for the local community, as well as winning multiple gold medals in the international music festival in Anaheim, California. He has also been featured as a solo jazz pianist in the annual Jazz Cabaret.

But besides tinkling the ivories, Matthew further embraces his musical qualities as an accomplished competitive Figure Skating, finishing as the first place overall Novice Men Skater in the BC Yukon Territory 2023 Season and ranked top 10 in the country at the 2024 Figure Skating Novice Canadian Championships in Waterloo, Ontario. Matthew is also an active contestant in speech & debate. Given that he frequently presents monologues in front of his school assemblies, he is the Champion of the 2023 Canadian Junior Speech Nationals and 4th place speaker at Canadian National Debate Competition.

Beyond quarreling with his lips, Matthew also fights with his fists. Having secured the gold medal in the Elite Category of the 2022 Karate BC Provincial Championships, he was invited to bravely fight in the Canadian Karate Nationals in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

On top of that, Matthew proudly represents his school in competitive Alpine Ski Racing, Track & Field and Swimming at the provincial level. He was the 4th place high school ski racer at the 2022 North Shore Finals, and 8th place Hurdler at the the BC High School Track and Field Championships.

Matthew’s wide range of talents earned him a spot on CBC’s 2019 TV Show “Canada’s Smartest Person Junior,” where he competed across 6 areas of intelligence, including the logical, linguistic, social, music, physical, and visual categories. After six grueling weeks of battle, Matthew—as the youngest contestant of the show—was announced the 3rd place winner. His performance earned him recognition on major media outlets such as OMNI TV, Breakfast TV, and the Vancouver Sun; and the Mayor of West Vancouver awarded him a Certificate of Recognition. Following his naming as a CBC Kids News Reporter, Matthew interviewed Dr. Bonnie Henry on “Busting Myths about Coronavirus” at the beginning of Pandemic in February of 2020.

Matthew is passionate about spending time outdoors hiking in the mountains, stretching his brain with complex puzzles, and passing knowledge on through teaching younger students. He contributes his positive energy to the environment and his community around him. Music is not just a skill, but a gateway to all future possibilities, and Matthew is ready to take on the challenge!

Matthew Yu is a Young Steinway Artist.