Elise Liu

Elise Liu is an award-winning soloist, chamber musician and educator of percussive arts. With a varied repertoire spanning four centuries of music, Elise Liu demonstrates the virtuosic, lyrical and dramatic possibilities of percussion. In the past season, she has collaborated with world-renowned composer Tan Dun and was featured as a soloist with the City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong as well as the Hong Kong Philharmonic. Her musical talent, dedication and accomplishments have been recognized locally and internationally through the many awards and scholarships she has received.

Elise Liu was named Young Musician of the Year at the 70th Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in Wales, U.K. She was honored with First Prizes in numerous occasions, including the 2019 Australian Marimba Competition and the 2013 Italy Percussion Competition. In 2012, she received a Special Young Talent Prize at the International Marimba Competition Salzburg. While pursuing her secondary education in Hong Kong, Elise Liu was selected as a Young Music Maker by RTHK Radio 4 in 2015. In the same year, she was named Winner of Performing Arts Category of The SCMP Student of the Year Awards and the Parsons Music Scholarship for Wind, Brass and Percussion.

Elise studied at the Eastman School of Music (U.S.A.) and the Haute École de Musique Lausanne (Switzerland), where she received a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Music in Percussion Performance. She worked with renowned percussion soloists and pedagogues including Michael Burritt, Emmanuel Séjourné, Vassilena Serafimova, Arnaud Stachnick and Simone Rubino. Her studies were fully sponsored by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Music and Dance Fund, the Hong Kong Scholarship for Excellence Scheme, the Bernard van Zuiden Music Fund as well as the Dean’s Performance Award of the Eastman School of Music.

Noteworthy performances include the world premiere of Tan Dun’s Concerto for Piano and Four Percussionists, the H.K. premiere of Steve Reich’s Quartet for two piano and two vibraphones in 2023 and a recital presented by the LCSD “Our Music Talents Series” in 2018.