Biography

Dr. Xuelai Wu is a collaborative pianist, vocal coach, and educator.

Frequently hailed as "sensitive playing" by collaborative partners and audiences, Wu has performed throughout the United States, France, Germany, Austria, Spain, Portugal, and Mainland China. Recent notable performances include a recital with Rhian Kenny and Jack Howell from the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and a Gala Concert with Arizona Opera Principal Artists Joshua Stewart and Chrystal Williams. She had the honor of working with internationally acclaimed tenor Augusto Paglialunga on multiple recitals of Schubert's Winterreise. She has played for masterclasses with cellist Lynn Harrell, violinist Sarah Chang, pianists Anne Epperson, Warren Jones, Hartmut Höll, Joseph Kalichestein, Anton Nel, Navah Perlman, and many others.

Wu has served as collaborative pianist for many prestigious music organizations such as Interlochen Arts Camp and Meadowmount School of Music. She was a teaching artist for Arizona Opera outreach program "Operatunity," a program designed for K–5 students to introduce opera to the younger generation in the greater Phoenix area from 2018 to 2019. She also toured internationally with the GRAMMY Award-winning choir—Phoenix Boys Choir under Maestro Georg Stangelberger from 2017 to 2019. She was the official collaborative pianist for the International Tuba and Euphonium Conference (Southwest) in 2017. She utilized her collaborative skills while conducting choir from piano and organ. She was the Director of Music at Shepherd of the Hills United Church of Christ in Phoenix from 2014 to 2018.

Born in Guangzhou, China, Wu grew up in a musical family and started her piano lessons at the age of 3. She received her bachelor's degree in music from South China Normal University. She earned her collaborative piano master's degree from Beijing Central Conservatory of Music and Cleveland Institute of Music. In 2017, she received her Doctor of Musical Arts from Arizona State University.

Education

  • D.M.A., Arizona State University
  • M.M., Cleveland Institute of Music
  • M.M., Beijing Central Conservatory of Music
  • B.M., South China Normal University

Areas of Expertise

  • Collaborative Piano

Profile Information