In this day and age, one could say that musicians are changemakers, spearheading new experiences in art and culture. For Lu Yanmin (’08, Cello) who continues his passion on both the baroque and modern cello, “musicians are sometimes also archaeologists!”
Speaking about his post-graduation endeavours, Yanmin shares, “I worked in the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra and was co-principal cello there for eight years. Then, in the Christmas of 2015, I had a chance to meet renowned Dutch cellist and early music movement pioneer Anner Bylsma in Amsterdam – he was my mentor and he guided me into the Baroque world. I took several lessons with him on Bach suites, and that inspired me to pursue my Masters degree at the Amsterdam Conservatory of Music.”
Having completed his further studies in the Netherlands, Yanmin now enjoys a diverse career in performance and education. He serves as the Baroque Cellist of Shanghai Camerata, Guest Principal Cellist of Jiangsu Symphony Orchestra, as well as Guest Baroque coach at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and the affiliated middle school of the Central Conservatory of Music (Beijing) where he guides young musicians of various ages.
As a classical instrumentalist and teacher, Yanmin believes it is crucial to attain a certain level of knowledge of Western culture and history, as well as the development of one’s instrument, as they would enable one to better interpret and master works of different periods and styles.
“For example, in order to play the Baroque cello well, you first need to understand how the cello developed from the Baroque era to its modern form – from the bow shape, gut strings to its build. All these factors help to shape our playing, and achieve the original style and sound from the time period. I would say that the study of period instruments is like archaeology.”
Beyond his work as a performer and teacher of period music, Yanmin actively participates in projects promoting new compositions for period instruments as well. One of his recent involvements include Songs of Nature, a production by B’Rock Orchestra and Muziektheater Transparant (Belgium) featuring newly commissioned works by Belgian composer Wim Henderickx, where Yanmin participated in the performances at Beijing Music Festival and Shanghai Music in the Summer Air (MISA) Festival.
Reminiscing about his days as an undergraduate, Yanmin recalls, “Coming to YST was one of the most significant periods of my life as it was my first time studying abroad; I was nervous and did not know what to expect, but I’m ever grateful for the opportunity to study here. As one of the first graduates, I got to witness the first few years of YST’s development as it emerged from a two-storey interim building to the grand, state-of-the-art building we know today.”
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