When Jennifer Liu ’27 stepped onto the world-renowned Carnegie Hall stage in Midtown Manhattan, she could feel her nerves kick it. 

“I was cool until then,” said Liu with a laugh. “My legs were shaking."

Liu felt the enormity of the moment, playing at Carnegie Hall and choosing to play the guzheng — an instrument that represents and celebrates her country and culture.

“I really felt like I should learn something from my own culture, that represents my identity,” said Liu.

The guzheng, a traditional Chinese instrument that Liu has been passionate about for six years, is a 5-foot-long string instrument with a large soundboard made from the wood of a Paulownia tree, native to East Asia. 

The boarding student from China started playing the guzheng, also known as a Chinese plucked zither, in the 5th grade. She previously played the piano and was ready to take on the new instrument after frequently passing by a studio back home that gives guzheng lessons, which piqued her curiosity. When she started at St. Stephen’s, Liu moved her lessons online and has continued meeting weekly with her guzheng teacher, Jie Wen, who is 13 hours ahead in China. Liu also plays the violin in the St. Stephen’s orchestra.

To play the guzheng, musicians often wear a fingerpick on both hands, which Liu uses when she plays. While it is a symbol of her homeland, Liu wanted her performance to speak to the universal language that music is. 

“I feel like music is something that doesn’t really have differences in terms of nationality, because harmony and different notes coming together can be perceived by a lot of different people, and I feel like the role of music is to let people feel what they’re supposed to feel,” said Liu.

As Liu sat down to play, she was able to calm her nerves and muscle shakes in her leg and deliver a version of “Deep Into the Night,” a composition she’d been practicing repeatedly for months. She put a modern twist on the traditional Beijing opera song about love and loss. The stunning melodies bounced through the Hall, known for its beauty and stunning acoustics.

Liu’s proud parents were in the audience silently cheering her on, along with her St. Stephen’s friend and classmate Matilde Pappalardo ’27, who happened to be in New York City over Thanksgiving break along with her family. They didn’t want to miss this massive moment. After Liu played the final note of the 6-minute piece, the crowd erupted in applause as an exhilarating sense of accomplishment rushed over her. 

“I was like, I just did it!” said Liu. “There was this huge contrast [from the nerves at the beginning]. I stood up and bowed and stood there for a while to look for my mom and my dad and my brother and my friend and her family, and they were all smiling. I felt really relieved and really happy because I had my favorite instrument right there, and a lot of people who I love and who love me.”

Liu landed the performance at Carnegie Hall by winning first place in the American Protégé International Music Talent Competition, which required submitting an audition tape of the song she ultimately performed. 

The St. Stephen’s community has been blessed with a multitude of Liu’s performances, often during Chapel. Looking ahead, Liu aims to enter the competition again and pursue her dream of performing in Europe, with a goal of sharing her cultural heritage and music with a broader audience.

Another Spartan Poised to Perform at Carnegie Hall in March

Spartan pianist Conner Ly ’31 will play at Carnegie Hall over Spring Break 2025. The honor follows him winning first place in the American Protege International Competition for musicians ages 11-14. In addition, Ly recently won the Silver Award in the 3rd Singapore International Music Competition, drawing contestants from 25 countries.

Congratulations to Conner and Jennifer!