Pinoy piano virtuoso Michael Lao Cu holds concert in Luxembourg

Filipino piano virtuoso Michael Lao Cu is an artist with a cause. In his recent piano concert in Luxembourg last May 4, he struck the piano keys playing music for environmental protection and women empowerment in Mindanao.

 

Cu stunned the audience composed of Europeans and Filipinos in the small region in Europe receiving a standing ovation during his solo piano concert, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Saturday. 

 

The concert is a fundraising activity by the Luxembourg-Philippines Action for Development (LPAD), one of the major Filipino community organizations in Luxembourg and non-governmental organization WEGA Aide Humanitaire.

 

"The proceeds of the recital were for projects of LPAD and WEGA in the Philippines that are currently focused on sustainable development, environmental protection and women empowerment in Mindanao," the DFA said.

 

It said this was Cu's second piano concert, the first held at the Banque de Luxembourg last February 13.

 

"I know that the world will see more of him and his masterpieces in the coming years.  I salute him for continuously striving to be the world-class artist that can only make his countrymen proud," Philippine Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg Victoria Bataclan said as she congratulated Cu.

 

The concert was held at the prestigious Philharmonie Luxembourg and had the theme “Reflets: Musique des Philippines et d'ailleurs" (Reflections: Music from the Philippines and elsewhere).

 

It showcased the works of great Filipino composers played side by side with the western classics that inspired their creation.  

Cu’s repertoire featured compositions by Philippine National Artists Bernardino Custodio, Francisco Buencamino, Augusto Espino, Ramon Santos and Nicanor Abelardo.

 

"These Filipino classics were performed back-to-back with western ones by composers from Russia (Rachmaninov), France (Debussy, Ravel), the United States (Gottschalk), Hungary (Bartok) and South America (Ginastera)," the DFA said.

 

Music as pastime

 

Born in1987 to Chinese-Filipino parents, Cu has had an inclination to music since childhood according to his official website. 

 

He has been playing since he was three years old. He was first taught by his mother who also plays piano as a hobby. He was soon enrolled in the Music Extension Program of the University of the Philippines Conservatory.

 

After graduating from Xavier High School, Cu went to the University of the Philippines-Diliman to pursues a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry.

 

In 2005, he moved to the United States and received a scholarship to study in Towson University in Maryland where he graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Piano Performance.

 

He was mentored by world-renowned pianists Reynaldo Reyes, Boris Slutsky, Ruby Salvosa, Klaus Hellwig, among others.

 

Michael was the recipient of numerous grants and a laureate of several local and international competitions, including the Piano Exellentia 2010 in Linkebeek, the 2009 Alexandria Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition, the 22nd International Young Artist Piano Competition, and the National Music Competition for Young Artists.

 

He has already joined a number of competitions in the Philippines, Belgium, and the United States and had won awards from these competitions.

 

The concert was also under the patronage of the Philippine Honorary Consul in Luxembourg and aimed to introduce the Philippines and its culture to Europe through music. - with Jon Lindley Agustin/VVP, GMA News