When he was 13, he won first prize at the International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians in Kurashiki, Japan, and played the complete 24 Chopin etudes at the Beijing Concert Hall.

When he was 17, he was called in as a last-minute replacement for Andre Watts at the Gala of the Century in Chicago, playing a Tchaikovsky concerto with the Chicago Symphony.

The Chicago Tribune hailed him as the "biggest, most exciting keyboard talent encountered in many years".

He has made numerous TV appearances and was featured on news and lifestyle newspapers and magazines worldwide.

"I have achieved my dream for about 15 years already," he says. "But I want to be successfully achieving my dream for 50 years."