Liam Furey was born in Wellington, New Zealand, and first learnt piano when they were nine. After discovering classical music at eleven, Liam was inspired to live and work with the artform. Liam started lessons in piano and composition with Gillian Bibby in 2011, building on the foundations she provided and garnering numerous prizes at local piano competitions.
In 2016, Liam received the prestigious Senior Composition Prize for Chamber Music NZ's Secondary School Contest, and in 2017 achieved the distinguished LTCL (Distinction) and LMusNZ Piano Diplomas.
Liam began studying at the New Zealand School of Music (NZSM) in 2018, learning piano under Jian Liu and composition under Michael Norris. During this time, Liam was exposed to numerous internationally acclaimed pianists, including Lars Vogt, Michael Endres and Deirdre Irons, and was a frequent place-winner in many of the school’s competitions for composition and New Zealand music.
Liam’s proudest achievement in the NZSM was co-founding the Sounds of Te Kōkī concert series in 2019. In this concert series, Liam ran and oversaw eight concerts which performed over 80 works by students from the NZSM. In 2022, Liam graduated with a Bachelor of Music with First-class Honours in Classical Performance and Composition.
Liam is a fervent advocate for social implications in music. Through carefully curated programs that blend genres and focus on contemporary and New Zealand music, they weave together genre juxtaposition, history, and theory, resulting in captivating and unique expressions.
In 2025 Liam begins studying at ANAM, developing their skills as a pianist under the tutelage of Timothy Young.
FROM: NZ / Aotearoa.
Photo by Pia Johnson