Tianyi Lu

Tianyi Lu
Born1989 or 1990 (age 34–35)[1]
Shanghai, China
GenresClassical
OccupationConductor

Tianyi Lu (born 1989/1990) is a Chinese-born New Zealand conductor based in Europe.

Early life and education

Born in Shanghai, China, Lu emigrated to Auckland, New Zealand with her parents when she was five.[2] She studied the piano and flute and sang in various choirs throughout her youth.[3] During her principal studies in flute and composition at the University of Auckland,[1] she also began studying conducting with Karen Grylls and Uwe Grodd, as well as with Eckehard Stier, the then music director of the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra.[2] She graduated from the University of Auckland with First Class Honours[4][5] and was granted various awards and scholarships to study a Master of Music in Conducting with John Hopkins at the University of Melbourne, Australia.[3]

In 2012 and 2013, Lu was an active participant in the Symphony Services International Conducting Training Programme,[6] which saw her take masterclasses with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra with teachers such as Christopher Seaman and Marko Letonja.[7]

In 2015, Lu completed a Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting with Distinction with David Jones at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.[8] She also attended several masterclasses in Europe.[9][6][10]

Career

Positions

Tianyi Lu became the Principal Conductor of the St Woolos Sinfonia in Wales in 2014.[5]

Lu was also a Dudamel Fellow with the Los Angeles Philharmonic for the 2017/2018 season.[11][12]

Throughout 2017 to 2019, Lu was the Assistant Conductor for the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.[7][13]

In 2019, Lu became the first Female Conductor in Residence for the Welsh National Opera.[14][15]

In 2021, Lu was also announced as the Conductor in Residence with the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra.[10]

Lu was appointed as a board member of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in 2023.[16][17]

Guest conducting

Orchestras Tianyi Lu has guest-conducted include the Hallé Orchestra, Romanian Radio National Orchestra,[15] the Madrid Symphony,[18] Gulbenkian Orchestra and Royal Scottish National Orchestra as well as the Turku Philharmonic, and Lapland Chamber Orchestra.[19]

Lu has also guest-conducted the Seattle Symphony, Pacific Symphony, Singapore Symphony and Sydney Symphony Orchestras, as well as the Auckland Philharmonia,[19] Dunedin and Christchurch Symphony Orchestras.[20]

In August 2024, Lu made her BBC Proms debut conducting the BBC Symphony Orchestra. The programme included the UK Premiere of Francisco Coll’s Cello Concerto, played by Sol Gabetta.[21]

Awards

In 2020, Lu won first prize at both the International Conducting Competition "Guido Cantelli" in Italy,[22][23][24] and the "Sir Georg Solti" International Conducting Competition in Germany.[25]

Other

Tianyi Lu featured in the fifth episode of the documentary series Wonder Women by Christina Rose and MirrorWater Entertainment. The episode, titled A Woman's New World, was filmed in early 2020 and released at the end of 2021.[26][27][28] This highlighted her ethos of empowerment, using music to create compassionate connections across diverse communities.[4][15]

References

  1. ^ a b "Graduation gala of note". Stuff. 4 May 2010. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Tianyi Lu - The University of Auckland". www.auckland.ac.nz. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  3. ^ a b Fox, Rebecca (19 September 2019). "Finding a way to make connections". Otago Daily Times Online News. Archived from the original on 14 January 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Biography". home. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  5. ^ a b "About us". St Woolos Sinfonia. Archived from the original on 29 December 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  6. ^ a b "TianyiLu". sf1380362427.site-fusion.co.uk. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  7. ^ a b "Melbourne Symphony Orchestra". Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  8. ^ "Tianyi Talks Orchestral Conducting « #RWCMD". Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  9. ^ "Conducting Masterclass 2018 Day 1 – Concertgebouworkest". www.concertgebouworkest.nl. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  10. ^ a b "Tianyi Lu announced as SSO's Conductor-in-Residence". Stavanger Symphony Orchestra. 18 March 2021. Archived from the original on 29 December 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  11. ^ "Two of 3 new LA conductors are women". Slipped Disc. 28 July 2017. Archived from the original on 20 October 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  12. ^ Swed, Mark (23 July 2021). "Review: In rollout of Dudamel Fellows at the Hollywood Bowl, Tianyi Lu impresses". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 13 January 2023. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  13. ^ Eslake, Stephanie; Chong, Celine (17 May 2018). "This young conductor is leading our future". CutCommon. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  14. ^ "Tianyi Lu joins WNO as first Female Conductor in Residence". WNO. 19 August 2019. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  15. ^ a b c "In-demand Kiwi conductor Tianyi Lu brings the music to life". RNZ. 25 September 2019. Archived from the original on 9 February 2023. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  16. ^ "The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama appoints 'exceptional' new trustees | Arts Council of Wales". arts.wales. Archived from the original on 9 February 2023. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  17. ^ "Board of Directors | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama". www.rwcmd.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 9 February 2023. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  18. ^ "Crítica: Concierto de Santa Cecilia por Tianyi Lu y la Sinfónica de Madrid – Radio Clásica" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 9 February 2023. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  19. ^ a b "Tianyi Lu announced as SSO's Conductor-in-Residence". Stavanger Symphony Orchestra. 18 March 2021. Archived from the original on 25 January 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  20. ^ "Tianyi Lu". Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. Archived from the original on 9 February 2023. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  21. ^ "Prom 38: Stravinsky's The Firebird with the BBC Symphony Orchestra". BBC. 18 August 2024.
  22. ^ "New Zealand conductor wins the first conducting competition she enters". RNZ. 28 September 2020. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  23. ^ "The Winners and Grinners — 2020 International Prize Winners [CONGRATS]". The Violin Channel. 31 December 2020. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  24. ^ "Tianyi Lu wins the Cantelli Award: "I give it to you, you have to help others" | Specchio dei tempi". 26 October 2020. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  25. ^ "Grad Tianyi Lu Wins Sir Georg Solti International Conductors Competition « #RWCMD". 14 October 2020. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  26. ^ "Empowered". MWE. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  27. ^ ""Wonder Women" Tianyi Lu is an inspiration to Asian immigrants". AsAmNews. 18 December 2021. Archived from the original on 29 December 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  28. ^ Muj, Nicole (14 October 2021). "MirrorWater Entertainment's 'Wonder Women' Debuts At MIPCOM 2021". INDIE ENTERTAINMENT (News) MEDIA. Archived from the original on 14 January 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2022.