Tianyi Liu

Chinese-born New Zealander Tianyi Lu — internationally known for her thrilling energy on the podium, her deeply creative approach to the repertoire, and her open-hearted style of leadership — collaborates with major orchestras and opera houses worldwide. Her work is driven by an ethos of empowerment, creating connection, and compassion across diverse communities through music.

In 2020, after winning First Prize at both the Sir Georg Solti International Conductors’ Competition and the International Conducting Competition “Guido Cantelli” in Italy, Tianyi Lu was appointed conductor-in-residence with the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra in Norway, a position she held until the end of the 2023–24 season. Lu was principal conductor of the St Woolos Sinfonia in the United Kingdom until 2024.

Recent highlights include concerts and recordings with London’s Philharmonia Orchestra, Hallé Orchestra Manchester, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre National de Lyon, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Residentie Orkest, and Sydney Symphony Orchestra. A former Dudamel Fellow, Lu made her Hollywood Bowl debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic in July 2021, and returned to the LA Phil for her Disney Hall debut in April 2023. That year, Tianyi also appeared at Theater Basel to conduct the world premiere of Bobbi Jene Smith’s production of Celeste Oram’s Marie & Pierre.

In the 2024–25 season Tianyi Lu makes her debuts at the BBC Proms in London with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, San Diego Symphony, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, hr-Sinfonieorchester Frankfurt, and Staatsorchester Stuttgart, in addition to the New York Philharmonic. She returns to the London Philharmonic Orchestra, MDR Sinfonieorchester Leipzig, Seattle Symphony, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Duisburger Philharmoniker, and Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, among others.

Passionately committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and to building a more empathetic world through the arts, Tianyi Lu is on the board of directors for the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and is an artist ambassador for Opera for Peace. She is regularly invited to work with and speak to communities and institutions about her experiences in empowering leadership, transforming cultures, resilience, and wellbeing. She has appeared in and hosted Welsh National Opera’s podcast The O Word, has spoken as a guest at London Marathon Events and the Do More Good podcast, and conducted and hosted Ears Wide Open concerts with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.