Described as ‘a pianist destined to achieve great things’, Maria Luc is a British Pianist of Japanese and Vietnamese background based in Manchester with local roots in Chichester, West Sussex. A winner of the RNCM Concerto Prize, she has also been a concerto soloist with orchestras such as Liverpool Mozart Orchestra, Chichester Symphony Orchestra, Nottingham Helix Ensemble and the Athenean Ensemble.
A winner of the Norah Sande Award, RNCM Concerto Prize and RNCM Chopin Prize, she also received the Polonsky Foundation Fellowship to travel to, attend and be employed at the Aspen Summer Music Festival in the U.S.A. She has performed in venues in the U.K., Europe and the U.S.A including Wigmore Hall, Tung Auditorium, Stoller Hall and the Wales Millennium Centre.
She regularly performs with other chamber musicians and her collaborations with other instrumentalists won the Paganini Prize for Violin and Piano and the Barbirolli Prize for Cello and Piano. She plays in many chamber groups from duos to quintets. Highlights include performing quintet works in Harris Hall (U.S.A) and songs and cello duo at Wigmore Hall. She also regularly plays in festivals as a piano duo with both Imy Luc and Wyn Chan. She has enjoyed working with living composers including George Benjamin and Erollyn Wallen. Maria also composes and arranges herself, and has her works played at various festivals.
Her teachers have included Helen Krizos, Ashley Wass, Ron Abramski, Kathryn Stott and Graham Scott at the RNCM. In addition she has worked with pianists such as Andras Schiff, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet and Stephen Hough. As a teacher who constantly strives for the highest standards, Maria builds on her experience as an established performer and mentor and is also inspired by her other creative endeavours. She has her own private teaching practice in addition to teaching at YYM. She has previously coached junior RNCM students, and was employed to teach at the Aspen Summer Music Festival.
