Morning Calm: Simon Wu

Join us for Morning Calm with Simon Wu, pianist from the Royal College of Music, who will be playing works by Robert Schumann, Chopin, Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, Scarlatti, Rameau and Brahms

Dates: Daily Monday - Friday

Time: 8.40-8.55am

Location: St George's Hanover Square, St George Street, W1

Morning Calm is a short piano recital beginning at 8.40am, consisting of around 10-12 minutes of music followed by a few minutes' silence for reflection and meditation before ending with brief prayers for the day ahead. You are most welcome to stay for the whole recital or if you would prefer not to stay for the Christian conclusion to leave just before the end. Morning Calm aims to offer a reflective and calm start to the day for people of any faith or none in the hustle and bustle of the West End of London.

As always admission is free.

Simon Wu is currently pursuing his master’s at the Royal College of Music in London under Caterina Grewe. In 2015, Simon debuted as a soloist with the UCT Symphony Orchestra. He performed as a soloist at CPO’s Youth Music Festival numerous times. At UCT, he won the Laura Searle prize for concerto playing in both 2019 and 2022.

In 2022, Simon was awarded 1st prize for the instrumental category of the FMR Bursary Competition. In 2023, he was awarded the Lionel Bowman Prize for Beethoven’s work, and his ensemble was awarded 2nd prize at the Schock Chamber competition playing Bartok’s Sonata for 2 Percussions and 2 Pianos. In the same year, Simon was awarded 3rd place at the UNISA National Piano Competition and also performed Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on the theme of Paganini with the UCTSO. He was placed 2nd at the Yamaha Soloist Music Competition in 2024.

Simon has been tutored by distinguished pianists such as Kate Liu, Vanessa Latarche, Piotr Paleczny and Alim Beysembayev.