Fou Ts'ong

Fou Ts'ong (Chinese: 傅聰, pinyin: Fù Cōng) (born 10 March 1934) is a Chinese pianist. Born in Shanghai to a family of intellectuals (his father was the translator Fu Lei), Fou first studied piano with Mario Paci, the Italian founder of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. In 1953, Fou moved to Europe to continue his training at the Warsaw Conservatory, where he amazed his professors with his intuitive grasp of the mazurka rhythm. His mastery was confirmed when he won the special Mazurka Prize at the 1955 International Chopin Piano Competition. Fou had been based in London since 1960, whence he embarked on a performing and teaching career that has taken him throughout the world and been distinguished above all by his authoritative...