ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT FEATURES

Music Student Chooses U-M to Perfect his Artistic Talent

Chopin's Mazurka Op.68 No.3 in F major

Chopin's Etude No.1 in C Major

Haydn's Sonata Hob 34, Third Movement

The son of an opera singer in Nanjing, Xiaofeng Wu began to study music when he was 7 years old. Back then, he says, he practiced to earn his father’s praise and for small rewards. By middle school, however, the music became a high note in his life, and at age 14, he gave his first recital, Tchaikovsky's “Piano Concerto No. 1.”
Later, at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, he encountered teachers who helped make a difference. “My teacher introduced me to Mozart’s ‘Piano Concerto No. 23,’” he recalls. “I was so fascinated by the sound, and I started to work harder and harder and got more involved in music.” The path led him to a doctoral program at the U-M School of Music, Theatre and Dance by way of Texas Christian University, where he earned his master’s degree.
Wu knew U-M by reputation and he had a teacher recommend the University, but he continued to explore other top schools before making his choice. “I am so impressed by Michigan, not only by the level of faculty members, but by the environment here,” he says. “Julliard and the Manhattan School of Music are strong, too, but they don’t have the beautiful campus Ann Arbor does. You can find anything from New York in Ann Arbor, even food, culture and concert venues.”

Now in his second year of a doctoral program in performance, Wu is enjoying campus life, but he doesn’t let it distract him from his goals. “I still keep my eyes open widely looking for good music and practice hard,” he says, explaining that when the audience responds, he feels fulfilled.

Wu, who has toured internationally, says music helps him connect to people from different times and places. “It’s like I’m living in Chopin’s period or Mozart’s, and I am an interpreter to the audience,” he says. “It’s like you travel, and you’re a guide taking people for a tour through time. We cannot go back to 19th century but we can receive the culture and traditions from the music of that period.”

Wu travels to participate in competitions, and he recently took first place in the 10th Guerrero Foundation International Piano Competition. The recognition comes with a cash prize of almost $20,000, a studio recording with the Radio Clásica service of Spain's national radio station, and recording for Televisión Española.

Wu plays often in Ann Arbor, too. He has even performed at the home of U-M President Mary Sue Coleman. “Last May, presidents from 21 Chinese universities were having a conference and celebrating at her house, and I was invited to perform in front of all of them. I sat together with those presidents, and that was a great event for me.”

In addition to the coursework, competitions, performances and recording sessions that occupy much of his time, Wu studies French, “one of the major languages in piano literature.” For fun, he creates soundtracks for imaginary movies, composing on a computer. He also enjoys computer games and cooking and wishes he had more time for a hobby he’s abandoned, building aircraft fighter models. “I enjoy working out things in delicate ways,” he says.

With his schedule you might think he doesn’t have time to yearn for China, but his thoughts turn to home frequently. “I miss my family, my friends, my teachers,” Wu says. “I miss China not only because of the people, but also its atmosphere, including its affectionate lifestyle, the food and the music, too.” Wu visited two years ago and hopes to find his way back again next spring.

When he completes his doctorate, he would like to teach. “I want to share with people of my experience,” he says. “I observe people’s performances very carefully, and I know exactly what they are striving for and struggling for, and I really wish to help.” He has not decided yet whether he will teach in the United States or in China.

Since coming to the United States, Wu says he changed some of his fundamental values. “I became a Christian. I started to learn the worth of being humble, and it changed my attitude toward performance,” he says. “When I feel in the darkness, I have the belief. I really feel blessed to have come to the University of Michigan.”

In the next issue of e-TrueBlue: China—Meet Liang Zhang, president of the U-M China Student and Scholars Association in Ann Arbor.

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