Two of the world's best young piano virtuosi, Nobuyuki Tsujii and Yundi Li, will participate in the Abu Dhabi Festival 2010.

Each will give a piano recital as part of the Chopin Bicentennial celebrations, which is the core theme at this year's event.

Nobuyuki Tsujii, a Japanese pianist, was the joint-winner of the coveted Nancy Lee and Perry R Bass Gold Medal at the 13th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in June, will perform at the Emirates Palace on March 28 with a programme dedicated to the works of Chopin and Liszt.

At 12, Tsujii made his debut at Tokyo's Suntory Hall in Japan and Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall in the United States.

Now 21, he has appeared as soloist with many of the major Japanese orchestras, including Yomiuri Nippon Symphony, Tokyo Symphony and Japan Philharmonic.

Tsujii has also given recitals in Forth Worth and Houston, and embarked on a major recital tour of Japan. "I am looking forward to celebrating the Chopin Bicentennial at the Abu Dhabi Festival. Chopin has been a real focus for me this year and I have recently recorded the pieces I am going to perform in Abu Dhabi for my new CD, which was released in March," Tsujii said.

Yundi Li's piano recital, also at the Emirates Palace, but on April 1, will feature a programme of Chopin piano works.

Li was propelled on to the international musical scene when he won first prize at the 2000 Chopin International Piano Competition in Warsaw, Poland, at 18.

Critically acclaimed for his technical precision and boundless enthusiasm, Li made his American orchestral debut in July 2003 with the Philadelphia Orchestra.

The following spring he completed his North American debut recital tour.

Highlights of recent seasons include concerts with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican Centre and in Seoul, South Korea.

"I have always had a special connection with the music of the great romantic composer Chopin, who wrote prolifically for the piano. It was a great honour for me to win the Chopin Competition in 2000 and now to perform at Chopin's Bicentennial at the Abu Dhabi Festival.

"I will be playing some of Chopin's most loved pieces," Li said.

The Abu Dhabi Festival 2010 runs until April 7 and is organised by the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation.

This year's festival features more than 90 events over three weeks, fusing world-class performances in classical and jazz, among others.