Hailed by The Dallas Morning News as “a musician with deeply felt and warmly shaped artistry,” 20-year-old Taiwanese-American violinist Steven (Kuan-Yun) Lu is quickly gaining recognition as one of America’s most promising and sought after young musicians for his striking musical poeticism and sensitivity. He began studying violin at the age of five, and has since been the recipient of various prizes such as the grand prize of the Vernell T. Gregg Competition and the silver medal of the Lynn Harrell Competition. As a member of the historical performance ensemble Elettaria LA, the group was recently named a winner of the 2026 Beverly Hills National Audition.

Highlights for the 2026-2027 concert season begin with a residency at the Ojai Music Festival and the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, appearances with cellist Nina Lee, violist Tatjana Masurenko, mandolinist Chris Thile, and conductor Teddy Abrams among others, recitals at the Hasley Chapel, Thayer Hall, and Boston Court Pasadena, as well as a performance of Elgar’s Violin Concerto in B minor, Op. 61 with David Robertson and the Colburn Orchestra. Steven has appeared as a soloist with various orchestras including the Colburn Orchestra, Lewisville Symphony Orchestra, and the Plano Symphony Orchestra, making solo appearances performing in various concert venues such as the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, Ambassador Auditorium, and the Charles W. Eisemann Center for Performing Arts. These experiences have fostered close and sustained collaborations with conductors such as Carlos Miguel Prieto, David Robertson, Hector Guzman, and Yehuda Gilad.

Steven frequently works with many of the world’s current leading artists, such as Pinchas Zukerman, Augustin Hadelich, Ani Kavafian, Clive Greensmith, and Henry Kramer. An avid chamber musician, Steven has worked and performed with the likes of Robert McDonald, Louis Lortie, Wei-Yi Yang, Thomas Sauer, Melvin Chen, the Horszowski Trio, and members of the Brentano, Borromeo, Tokyo, Casals, Shanghai, Jupiter, Cooperstown, Orion, Modigliani, Ying, St. Lawrence, and Calidore String Quartets. Festival appearances include the Heifetz International Summer Institute, Basically Beethoven Festival, Taos Chamber Music Festival, Ojai Music Festival, and Yale’s Norfolk Chamber Music Festival. Steven is a regular artist for the Colburn Chamber Music Society, making appearances throughout the 2025-2027 seasons alongside Jonathan Brown, Blake Pouliot, and Nina Lee. His chamber music engagements are currently mentored by violist Jonathan Brown, formerly of the Cuarteto Casals, pianist Fabio Bidini, violinist Martin Beaver, and cellist Clive Greensmith, both formerly of the Tokyo String Quartet.

Steven’s artistic curiosity embraces music of all eras and instrumentation, showing great commitment and sensitivity to historical performance and interpretation. His most recent projects include performances and recordings of works spanning Lully, Muffat, Frescobaldi, and Handel in partnership with harpsichordist Ian Pritchard and violinist Vijay Gupta, among others. In 2026, Steven became the first baroque violinist to appear on the Colburn School’s flagship concert series, Performance Forum. Further projects include performances with Elettaria LA and Tesserae Baroque. Additionally, Steven’s advocacy for new music has led him to work personally with some of the great living composers such as Esa-Pekka Salonen, Jon Cziner, and Reena Esmail. Steven currently plays on a baroque violin and bow on generous loan from the Tesserae Baroque Ensemble, with whom he appears as a guest artist. He is closely affiliated with the USC Historical Performance Program.

Currently, Steven is in his third year of pursuing his Bachelors of Music in Violin Performance at the Colburn School’s Conservatory of Music as a student in the class of violinist Martin Beaver. Other important influences include the late Jan Mark Sloman, the Brentano String Quartet, and Blake Pouliot.

Steven plays a very fine 1736 Spiritus Sorsano violin, on generous loan from an anonymous donor and Owen Hojoon Lee. In his leisure time, Steven enjoys reading Murakami while listening to slow movements of the Beethoven String Quartets, going on long walks, and stargazing.

SEASON 2026/2027