Pianist's ode to home

She tells China Daily: "His name has actually been a household name since he was very small. So, a lot of Hong Kong people feel like they grew up with him and are now especially proud watching him reach this milestone in his career. Everybody in Hong Kong is very excited and we feel like he deserves to be where he is now, having achieved this career goal at this time."

Sham started piano lessons at the tender age of 3 and was performing in concerts aged 10. His mother was a piano teacher. Born in Hong Kong, he left to study overseas at 14.

He credits his upbringing for influencing his career and is bowled over by the support from back home.

He will return to Hong Kong to kick-start a concert tour on Aug 30.

The artist says that he didn't feel much pressure to dedicate himself solely to playing piano and began taking music seriously at 21.

He is also a stellar academic, completing a dual degree program at Harvard and the New England Conservatory. He finished his Bachelor of Arts at Harvard University in 2019 and Master's at NEC under Victor Rosenbaum in 2020.

He then went to the Ingesund School of Music in Sweden to study with Julia Mustonen-Dahlkvist before returning to the US to earn an artist diploma at The Juilliard School with Robert McDonald and Orli Shaham. He says that Juilliard was instrumental in getting him ready for the Cliburn after the COVID-19 pandemic.

He has been taught by such an international cadre of music teachers that this fusion has helped him forge a truly unique sound that crosses country limits.

"I've lived in Hong Kong, of course, and in the United Kingdom, the US and also Sweden and now back in New York. I would say each of these chapters has contributed something major and important to my life and my musical journey."