Hekun Wu

Hekun Wu enjoys a versatile career as a concert 'cellist, conductor, and teacher. Praised widely for his "virtuosic technique with thoughtful and poetic expressivity" (China Times) and his interpretive insights that are "bold and very full of conviction, unusually supple and beautiful" (The Boston Globe), Mr. Wu has concertized in his native China, U.S., Austria, France, Italy, Japan, and has been featured on television and radio broadcasts in Paris, Shanghai, Boston, Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Taipei. He has performed with major orchestras in China including the China Central Philharmonic and the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, giving the Chinese premieres of the Milhaud and Elgar 'cello concertos, the latter recorded for the CRC label. He made his European d�but in France with the Orchestre de Bordeaux under Pierre Dervaux at the Ravel Festival, followed by a televised solo performance in Paris; the legendary French 'cellist Maurice Gendron wrote to congratulate him, "We saw you performing on French Television, it was very beautiful, Bravo." Mr. Wu has served as Principal 'Cellist of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra on tour and recordings. His recent engagements have taken him to such venues as Merkin Hall in New York, the Beijing Concert Hall, Goethe-Institut of Boston, the Taipei National Concert Hall, the Peabody Conservatory, the New England Conservatory, and at the Shanghai Grand Theatre, where his Concerti Concert was highly acclaimed. Upcoming performances include Penderecki's Concerto for Three 'Cellos with the composer conducting as well as guest conducting appearances with several orchestras including the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra. He is currently the Music Director-Conductor of the Salem Chamber Orchestra.

While increasingly in demand as a conductor, Mr. Wu is also a well-respected teacher. He has held 'cello workshops and masterclasses at numerous conservatories and universities such as the New England Conservatory, Longy School, the Shanghai Conservatory, and the Taipei National University of the Arts. He has been on the faculties at Wellesley College, the University of Delaware as 'cellist and conductor, and previously at the Shanghai Conservatory where he was the youngest 'cello professor appointed; his students have won major competitions. Born and educated in Shanghai and later at the Paris Conservatoire, he completed his graduate studies in the U.S. at Boston University and the University of Minnesota. A recipient of both 'cello and conducting fellowships from the Aspen Music Festival, he studied with Zara Nelsova and David Zinman. Other major influences are 'cellists Maurice Gendron, Paul Tortelier, Tanya Remenikova, and Leslie Parnas.