Given that Niu Niu was only 14 when he made this recording last year, his achievement is remarkable. His equable, rounded tone is underpinned by mature technique...Sometimes a big enough response to the music's soaring flight is lacking...Clearly though, here is a fine musical talent.

in purely digital terms, Niu Niu produces some remarkable playing. He has a wonderful leggiero touch when required: the 'Spinnerlied' from The Flying Dutchman is very fine (how good to hear a youngster revive this old favourite)...Niu Niu is able to breathe fresh life into an old chestnut like the Liebestraum No. 3. So - fantastic fingers, bags of potential but, as yet, no charm.

Poetic insights? Moments of repose? Those must wait, if they arrive at all, for the prodigy’s mature adulthood...the piano tone is varied and round, never appearing to have been stamped out by a music-making machine. Another good omen could be the modest, almost casual way that Niu Niu often concludes a piece, rarely emphasising the final chord.