Classical pianist, teacher and lecturer.
Biography
Born 3rd of February 1996 in Tianjin, China. Lan Yu moved to Denmark when she was 8 years old. She began her piano studies with the pedagogue Charlotte Wested. She stayed with her for 10 years until her entrance at the Royal Academy of Music, Aarhus, in 2014.
Here she studied with professor Anne Øland until 2015, after which she shifted to Søren Rastogi (2015-16). She continued with Jakob Bahr and Martin Lysholm until 2017.
After her Bachelor degree, she continued her Master at Sibelius Academy (2017-18) with professor Erik T. Tawaststjerna and Hamsa Juris. She was the youngest masters student at the academy. Lan Yu finished her Master in June 2019.
In June 2022, Lan Yu finished her soloist degree (Advanced Postgraduate Diploma) from the Danish National Academy of Music with Christina Bjørkøe as her teacher.
Scholarships
Lan Yu has received a number of generous scholarships, among these from: Arthur Andersson og hustru pianistinde Ellen Andersens legat, Knud Højgaard, Holger Arndts Mindefond and Foundation Idella, all in 2017.
In addition to that, she has also received “Musikskolens Venners” scholarship 3 times (2008, 2010, 2014).
Concerts, prizes and masterclasses
As a concert pianist, Lan Yu has been soloist with Odense Symphony Orchestra as well as taken part in major festivals, such as OPUS Piano Festival (2011-18) and “Musikskolernes Dag” in Tivoli (2009-2014). She has given solo and chamber music concerts at home and aboard, including USA, Norway, Sweden and Finland.
She was the 1st prize winner at “den 24. Danske Steinway Konkurrence” in 2014 and at ”Berlingske Tidendes Klassiske Musikkonkurrence” in 2011. Apart from that, she has taken part in EPTA’s “Gradsprøver” (tests for piano) and passed grade 2-7 with high points in all disciplines.
In 2023, Lan Yu was invited to be in the jury in Fyn's Klaverfestival in Odense.
Throughout the years, Lan Yu has taken part in many masterclasses with major pianists, such as Maciej Ganski (Poland), Werner Bärtschi (Swiss), Jószef Balog (Hungary), Katrine Gislinge (Denmark), Julia Dahlkvist (Sweden), Marianna Shirinyan (Oslo), Teppo Koivisto (Helsinki), Bernd Goeztke (Hannover), Alexandre Zvirblyte (Vilnius), Bjørn Lehmann (Berlin), Eugen Indjic (Paris) and Irina Osipova (Moskva).
Teaching experiments
Lan Yu has a big passion for teaching. With a bachelor’s degree in piano pedagogy from the Royal Academy of Music, Aarhus and strong pedagogy teaching from Sibelius Academy, she has a lot of pedagogical experience. Today, Lan Yu is now vice principel at Rebild Kulturskole, where she also teaches piano students - both beginners, intermediate and high-level. Furthermore, she is also the coordinator of the talent- and pre-talent group, whom she is teaching in ear training and music theory. During the school years, she is making workshops in Music Mind Games.
Lan Yu has taken the "Basis 1 course" from "Legende Musikteori" (The Danish version of Music Mind Games).
She has also been doing masterclasses, workshops on free improvisation and accompaniment, prima vista, scales and practicing, for example at Huittinen Piano Festival in Finland. Lan Yu has in co-operation with Musikundervisning.dk made a promotional-video for her project about efficient practice. If you are interested, you can read/see more on the website.
Experience in management and skills
In connection with her job as a music teacher, Lan Yu has been recommended and completed a course in leadership, ”Nysgerrig på ledelse – et afklaringsforløb". Since September 2022, she has also started a new education, "Diploma in management" - a course offered by University College Copenhagen.
Beside her studies, she has been the deputy chairman in the piano organization, Pianorama, in 2016-17. She has also been in charge for the PR on Pianorama’s facebook page and been written the newsletters from 2015-17. Therefore, she is familiar with a number of digital medias, such as MailChimp, YouTube, Canva Design, InDesign, iMovie, Audacity and so on. In addition to that, she has also been employed as Chinese coordinator and mentor at the Royal Academy of Music, Aarhus, from 2016-17 (and again from 2018), at the same time as her office job as library assistant.
In connection with Aarhus International Piano Competition, she has been lecturing at different schools in Aarhus and the neighbourhood about classical music for pupils from 2nd to 5th grade. She was also a part of the co-organizer team at OPUS Piano Festival from 2014-18.
Publications and language skills
In June 2022, Lan Yu published her second book, "De uskrevne regler i musikverdenen". This is a book for music students, parents, music school teachers and the principals in the music schools, and the book gives the reader a further understanding of each other seen from all 4 perspectives.
Lan Yu has also published her book, "Vejen til effektiv øvning" about efficient practice in May 2020. The book hasn't been translated to English yet - but it will come later.
In coordination with the anniversary of Hørsholm music school, Lan Yu has published the CD, “Glimt fra det 20. århundrede” (A glimpse from the 20th Century) in 2013. She is planning on publishing her guide about efficient practicing – a project she has been working on since her bachelor’s degree. The book is to be expected in 2020.
Lan Yu is a good linguist and speaks fluently Chinese, Danish and English. She has been studying German for 5 years and knows also Swedish and Norwegian.
