Hailing from China, A Bu has gained prominence as a pianist and composer in the international jazz scene despite his young age.

At just four years old, A Bu started to play and study the classical piano, while his jazz studies began when he was admitted to the middle school affiliated with the Central Conservatory of Music at the age of nine.

"My father often took me to see various performances, and they would have these jam sessions. So I would just go on stage to play with the musicians," A Bu said, explaining how he encountered so many different musicians growing up.

The young prodigy formed his first jazz trio at the age of 13, staging a successful show at the Beijing Nine Gates International Jazz Festival. 

Two years later, he moved to New York, where he was enrolled in the precollege program of The Juilliard School. In 2015, he won the Jury's first prize and the Audience Choice at the Montreux Jazz Piano Solo Competition, just before his 16th birthday. Since then, A Bu has frequently toured in Europe and China.

As one of China's most promising jazz artists, A Bu has performed multiple times at the International Jazz Day's All-Star Global Concert, where he was invited by UNESCO and the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz to collaborate with world-famous jazz stars. 

"I was thrilled to receive the invitation … it's maybe the biggest event of the jazz world, and I got to meet many of the greatest jazz players alive," he said. "Through the performing events, I have learned how I should be listening to others with a very open mind and ear. Because when you improvise together, you're not only playing by or for yourself."

A Bu has already played at some of the world's best-known music venues, including the Forbidden City Concert Hall and the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall. He has also appeared with various orchestras, among them the Moscow Jazz Orchestra, Moscow Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra, Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra and Ningbo Symphony Orchestra. Hundreds of performances have honed his skills and techniques.

"Every time before I go on stage, I try to calm myself for a few minutes, then I feel more prepared to welcome the audience and see how they react," A Bu said.

Having devoted himself to his music for over a decade, A Bu barely has any time for hobbies. However, cooking seems to be an exception.

"There is a great similarity between serving someone a dish and performing a piece of music for a crowd," A Bu said, "When you try some food, it gives you a memorable taste, and the same can be said of music."

In addition to his career as a jazz pianist, A Bu is also developing as a composer. The young talent has released several albums, including many of his original compositions. "Inspiration comes from my own life," A Bu said. "I think the music that I've composed, especially in the past two years, has been more involved with other things besides jazz."

Co-released by the German label WERGO and NCPA, A Bu's most recent album titled "New Memories" pays tribute to the works of the legendary composer Nikolai Kapustin. 

For A Bu, Kapustin is a master at fusing classical and jazz, and he has long been a source of inspiration. 

"This album is my first official studio recording of his works. I was introduced to his music at an early age, and in 2016 I had the privilege of meeting him," A Bu explained. He said the moment he walked out of Kapustin's apartment, he felt like he had embraced a new way of seeing the world.

It is unlikely that A Bu will get a chance to slow down anytime soon. To continue building up his musical knowledge base, he embarked on a master's degree in September at the Mannes School of Music at The New School in New York, with a double major in piano and composition.

Bridging classical music and jazz, East and West, it's safe to say audiences can expect to see a lot more of this young jazz pianist and composer on the international stage in the future.