Female-Conductor-In-Residence Welsh National Opera

Principal Conductor St. Woolos Sinfonia

Conductor-in-Residence of the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra

Internationally known for her thrilling energy on the podium, her deeply creative approach to the repertoire and her open-hearted style of leadership, Chinese-born New Zealander Tianyi Lu 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.

After winning first prize in 2020 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, following a sensational debut with them in 2020/21. She is Principal Conductor of the St Woolos Sinfonia in the UK.

Recent highlights include concerts and recordings with the Philharmonia Orchestra London, Hallé Orchestra Manchester, Malmö Symphony Orchestra, MDR Sinfonieorchester Leipzig, Dresden Philharmonie, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Seattle Symphony, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, and Sydney Symphony Orchestra. A former Dudamel Fellow, in July 2021 Lu made her Hollywood Bowl debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and subsequently returned for her Disney Hall debut in April 2023. In autumn 2021, Lu conducted performances of Verdi's Rigoletto at the Aalto-Musiktheater Essen.

​The 2023/2024 season sees Tianyi Lu make her debut in London with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as further debut appearances with Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre National de Lyon, Duisburger Philharmoniker and Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne. Return engagements include Het Residentie Orkest Den Haag, Orquestra Gulbenkian and Ulster Orchestra. At Theater Basel, Lu leads the world premiere of Bobbi Jene Smith’s production of Marie & Pierre, composed for Ballett Basel by Celeste Oram.

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 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 for London Marathon Events and the Do More Good Podcast, and conducted and hosted Ears Wide Open concerts with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

Tianyi Lu completed her Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting with Distinction at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in 2015, where she studied with David Jones. She has assisted or attended masterclasses with Sir Andrew Davis and Xian Zhang with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Daniele Gatti with the Concertgebouworkest, Bernard Haitink with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, and is an alumnus of the Hart Institute for Women Conductors at The Dallas Opera. Other teachers and mentors have included Sian Edwards, Carlo Rizzi, Neemi Järvi, Alexander Polianichko, Kenneth Kiesler, Carlo Montanaro and Alice Farnham. She was Assistant Conductor of Melbourne Symphony Orchestra 2017-2019.

SEASON 2023/2024