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, Lu was appointed Conductor-in-Residence with the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra in Norway, following a sensational debut with them in 2020/21.

Recent highlights include concerts and recordings with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra London, Hallé Orchestra Manchester, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Malmö Symphony Orchestra, MDR Sinfonieorchester Leipzig, Dresden Philharmonie, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Seattle Symphony, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Sydney Symphony Orchestra. In 2021, Lu conducted performances of Verdi’s Rigoletto at the Aalto-Musiktheater Essen, and in 2023 she lead the world premiere of Bobbi Jene Smith’s production of Marie & Pierre at Theater Basel, 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.