My Hope is to run, dance and fly to the sound of my cello…
Described by Sky Arts as ” the epitome of international, cool, young and elegant, Li Lu plays with a passion that takes flight both sonically and visually”. As an adventurer of cultures, she wants to bring her cello to all corners of the world, play to as many people as possible. In the summer of 2010, Li Lu and her cello spent 35 days travelling across Europe from Athens to Edinburgh, survived only on her musical talent. This has been recorded in a documentary that has been broadcasted on Sky Arts 1 in July 2011.
As a soloist and chamber musician, Li Lu has given performances across Asia and Europe. Most recent success including her Live performance on the BBC Radio 4 presented by Sandi Toksvig. Early this year, she presented the complete Bach cello suites at six different venues over the course of the day at the 2011 Chorlton Arts Festival. Her new and personal interpretation received strong praise from the audience. In collaboration with the pianist Matthew Kam, Li Lu made her debut concert in the St. Martin in the field, center London, supported by the Concordia Foundation in 2010. In the same year, she has been invited by the Sky Arts on a tour of Europe from Athens to Edinburgh. Since 2006, Li Lu co-founded the cello and guitar duo and has performed throughout the UK and Ireland in this combination. Other major performance appearances included at the Singapore International Music Festival, Beijing International Modern Music Festival and the Kronburg Cello Festival in Germany.
Li Lu has received several International Awards, such as the Professional Development Training Award from the Irish Arts Council in 2006, the top award from BBC Performing Arts Fund in 2007. In both of these cases it was the first time the award had been given to a Chinese artist. She also received the great honour of being invited to play in many master-classes with eminent musicians including Bernard Greenhouse, Ralph Kirshbaum, Anner Bylsma, Patrick Demenga and Christoph Richter.
Originating from China, Li Lu started her musical journey when she was given a cello by her father on her fifth birthday. Her natural aptitude for the instrument soon took her from her home town, Zheng Zhou, to the Wu Han Conservatory of Music where she completed her undergraduate studies, and then to Beijing where she became the youngest member of the National Ballet Orchestra. In 2005, Li Lu decided to travel to Europe, the home of classical music, to experience the Western culture. Her first destination was Ireland, where she released her debut CD Believe and went on a national tour of playing the Bach cello suites. One year later, she won a major scholarship to continue her studies with the celebrated cellist, Emma Ferrand at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, where she gained the Post-Graduate Diploma in Performance with Distinction in 2008.
Currently Li Lu lives in Manchester. In addition to her exciting performing career, she works with Chetham’s School of Music where she enjoys working with young music talents.
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Described by Sky Arts as ” the epitome of international, cool, young and elegant, Li Lu plays with a passion that takes flight both sonically and visually”. As an adventurer of cultures, she wants to bring her cello to all corners of the world, play to as many people as possible. In the summer of 2010, Li Lu and her cello spent 35 days travelling across Europe from Athens to Edinburgh, survived only on her musical talent. This has been recorded in a documentary that has been broadcasted on Sky Arts 1 in July 2011.
As a soloist and chamber musician, Li Lu has given performances across Asia and Europe. Most recent success including her Live performance on the BBC Radio 4 presented by Sandi Toksvig. Early this year, she presented the complete Bach cello suites at six different venues over the course of the day at the 2011 Chorlton Arts Festival. Her new and personal interpretation received strong praise from the audience. In collaboration with the pianist Matthew Kam, Li Lu made her debut concert in the St. Martin in the field, center London, supported by the Concordia Foundation in 2010. In the same year, she has been invited by the Sky Arts on a tour of Europe from Athens to Edinburgh. Since 2006, Li Lu co-founded the cello and guitar duo and has performed throughout the UK and Ireland in this combination. Other major performance appearances included at the Singapore International Music Festival, Beijing International Modern Music Festival and the Kronburg Cello Festival in Germany.
Li Lu has received several International Awards, such as the Professional Development Training Award from the Irish Arts Council in 2006, the top award from BBC Performing Arts Fund in 2007. In both of these cases it was the first time the award had been given to a Chinese artist. She also received the great honour of being invited to play in many master-classes with eminent musicians including Bernard Greenhouse, Ralph Kirshbaum, Anner Bylsma, Patrick Demenga and Christoph Richter.
Originating from China, Li Lu started her musical journey when she was given a cello by her father on her fifth birthday. Her natural aptitude for the instrument soon took her from her home town, Zheng Zhou, to the Wu Han Conservatory of Music where she completed her undergraduate studies, and then to Beijing where she became the youngest member of the National Ballet Orchestra. In 2005, Li Lu decided to travel to Europe, the home of classical music, to experience the Western culture. Her first destination was Ireland, where she released her debut CD Believe and went on a national tour of playing the Bach cello suites. One year later, she won a major scholarship to continue her studies with the celebrated cellist, Emma Ferrand at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, where she gained the Post-Graduate Diploma in Performance with Distinction in 2008.
Currently Li Lu lives in Manchester. In addition to her exciting performing career, she works with Chetham’s School of Music where she enjoys working with young music talents.