Maggie Lu is already an award-winning professional musician, artist and writer.

That should be exceptional enough, given that the young South Surrey resident has three years to go before she finishes her bachelorB次元官网网址檚 and masterB次元官网网址檚 degrees in music composition at UBC.

But itB次元官网网址檚 off-the-chart amazing when you consider that Lu is still only 16 years old.

Speaking with the mature-sounding prodigy during a recent phone interview itB次元官网网址檚 interesting how modest and matter-of-fact she is about her accomplishments.

Lu who plays piano, also enjoys writing poetry and fiction, doing photography and creating art in her preferred media of pencils and watercolours.

Describing her activities as B次元官网网址渧ery rewarding,B次元官网网址� she says part of her aim in publicizing them is to B次元官网网址減romote art as a meaningful activity for other people.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚f I can inspire people, that really means a lot to me,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚f, through what I do, I can help someone reach their potential, or realize they have potential, that makes me happy. I think everyone is creative B次元官网网址� thatB次元官网网址檚 an important part of humanity.B次元官网网址�

Born in Vancouver, she moved to Surrey with her family when she was eight years old, she explained, attending WoodwardB次元官网网址檚 Hill Elementary and Highland Elementary.

When asked how she got to UBC at age 14, she replies simply, B次元官网网址淚 skipped a bunch of grades.B次元官网网址�

In fact, at age 12 she bypassed Grades 8, 9 and 10, and entered a Grade 11 and 12 program geared for early admission to UBC.

Her gifts were manifest early, she acknowledges.

B次元官网网址淎ll of these things were part of my life very early on B次元官网网址� as far back as I can remember,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淚 was around four or five when I first started taking piano lessons. Art started as soon as I could hold a pencil. When I was 11, I started teaching art at my elementary school, and then started selling my art and poetry online.B次元官网网址�

Racking up more than 17,000 followers to date, her art work has been purchased by buyers in Canada, the U.S., the U.K., Belgium, the Czech Republic and Australia. Her photograph, Crystalline B次元官网网址� taken when she was 14 B次元官网网址� won a commendation in the World Photography Organization/Sony World Photography Awards and was featured in an international exhibition in Somerset House in the U.K.

She was a published author by the time she was 11 B次元官网网址� the same year she won a Rotary Club-sponsored Get To Know Poetry Prize B次元官网网址� and she has won bronze in the QueenB次元官网网址檚 Commonwealth Essay Competition as well as contributing content to the Ubyssey (UBCB次元官网网址檚 magazine).

Her musical accomplishments alone would set her apart B次元官网网址� she was still in elementary school when she gained a diploma in piano performance from the Royal Conservatory and 10 years old when she performed with South Surrey-based band The Wilds in one of their concerts to promote environmental sustainability.

Her performance and composition won her scholarships for her simultaneous bachelorB次元官网网址檚 and masterB次元官网网址檚 degrees, her solo performances have raised money for the Vancouver Food Bank, several hospitals and the Canadian Music therapy Trust Fund and her music has reached such diverse venues as the Bell Centre for the Performing Arts, the Goldcorp Centre, Pyatt Hall and the Roy Barnett Recital Hall.

Lu said itB次元官网网址檚 hard for her to pick a favourite out of her many activities B次元官网网址� theyB次元官网网址檙e all too closely linked in her mind, she explained.

B次元官网网址淚 associate music with visual colours and textures B次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 a form of synesthesia,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淎ll of them come from my passion for expression and creativity B次元官网网址� theyB次元官网网址檙e not really separate things, but different ways of expressing myself.B次元官网网址�

If any one of the disciplines is receiving less of her attention these days it would be poetry B次元官网网址� there are only so many hours in the day, Lu notes.

But as well as having a good relationship with her highly supportive parents, she also has B次元官网网址渁 wonderful group of friends,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淚 do do these things, but IB次元官网网址檓 not sacrificing my social life,B次元官网网址� she noted.

Since sheB次元官网网址檚 just old enough to start learning to drive, she finds a lot of her time taken up with the transit commute to UBC B次元官网网址� two hours each way.

But typically, she doesnB次元官网网址檛 see that as a negative.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a chance to clear my mind, looking out of the window,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淎 lot of my imaginative ideas come from that B次元官网网址� both artistic ideas and musical ideas.B次元官网网址�

alex.browne@peacearchnews.com
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