Pianist Tianqi Du is noted for his unique understanding and profound interpretations of J.S. Bach. His debut album, the Goldberg Variations, released on Naïve in 2022, drew high praise: UK’s Gramophone magazine wrote, “If someone asks the question: After Glenn Gould, do the Goldberg Variations still have vitality? The answer is clear and unequivocal: Yes! The best evidence is right here.” Japan’s Record Geijutsu selected the album in its Monthly Critics’ Choices. Germany’s Rondo observed that Du “achieves the difficult balance between constructive logic and metaphysics, between knowledge and mystery.”

His recital “Tianqi Du Plays Bach” at Shanghai Symphony Hall was named a 2021 Concert of the Year at the Ganlan Art Awards. He was subsequently invited by Tsinghua University to present a lecture titled “An Interdisciplinary Understanding and Interpretation of Bach’s Wisdom.”

In 2024, Du recorded a Bach keyboard concertos album with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields under Jonathan Bloxham. Upon its release, the recording received five-star reviews from the UK’s Daily Mail and Germany’s Rondo. BBC Music Magazine praised it for “sheer modesty”. The album reached No.1 on Apple Music Classical’s new global Top 100 Albums weekly chart, a position it held for several weeks.

A prodigy from age five, Du studied with Professors Xueyun Chen, Zhaoyi Dan and Meng‑Chieh Liu. Since entering the New England Conservatory in 2016, he has devoted himself to the study and performance of Bach’s oeuvre. His concert appearances span cities across China, Germany, Israel, Poland, the United States and Japan, featuring frequent collaborations with orchestras. Career highlights include solo recitals at New York’s Carnegie Hall and Tokyo’s Suntory Hall, along with concerto performances with the China Philharmonic Orchestra, the China NCPA Orchestra, and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields.