KWU Music | Piano Recital ~ Tony Lu

Kansas Wesleyan University students, friends and family were graced with the talents of Xuchu (Tony) Lu on January 26th at the University United Methodist Church.

Xuchu (Tony) Lu performs on piano for an audience in the University United Methodist Church.

Mr. Lu earned his MM in Piano Performance from Austin Peay State University in 2021. He was the instructor for several undergraduate and graduate level music literature, applied piano, and chamber music courses at Austin Peay. He collaborated with various APSU faculty in chamber performances.

Tony performed eight pieces of music and prior to each one, he provided his historical knowledge of the composer. Tony knew each composer very well and gave a humorous reference to the ways in which we might identify with the musical chorus and overlap of strong and soft keys.

Tony Lu answers questions from the audience following his recital at the UUMC.

I knew little about the performer going into to piano recital, but when he was finished, Tony allowed time for a Q&A in which he took answers from the audience.

My question to Mr. Lu was, “The program indicates that you started learning and playing the piano at age five. Who taught you?” Mr. Lu said “I had six or seven teachers at that age, but I did not really learn to play until college”.

Mr. Lu was also asked how long it takes for him to learn a piece of music. Mr. Lu said “I listen to several versions of the piece, and depending on the length of the piece, I practice it 2-3 1/2 hours a day until I have it down and can play it by ear”.

It was important for me to understand how it came to be that Mr. Lu was on the Kansas Wesleyan Campus, so I inquired with Dr. Gustavo Do Carmo, KWU Department of Music’s Adjunct Music Professor and Collaborative Pianist. Dr. Carmo said “I heard about Tony through a local pianist called Carolyn Hofer. She attended many of his lectures during the summer camp that he teaches. She asked me if I would be interested in bringing him to KWU while he is in town. I then asked him if he could give a “lecture-recital,” talking about his repertoire and answering questions from the students and community members.”

Tony Lu at his piano recital in the UUMC.

The next upcoming event presented by the KWU Department of Music will be Salina Strings Day, Marymount College, 7 p.m., on Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022.