Lan Shui

{{Short description|Chinese-American conductor}} {{BLP sources|date=October 2023}} '''Lan Shui''' ({{zh|s=水蓝}}, born 1957<ref name="Nanda">{{cite news | url=http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/maestros-career-almost-derailed | title=Maestro Shui Lan's career almost derailed after cycling accident | work=Straits Times | author=Akshita Nanda | date=2016-07-12 | accessdate=2017-01-12}}</ref>) is an American conductor. He was the music director of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra from 1997 to 2019. He has retired as Music Director on 26 January 2019, and was given the title of Conductor Laureate by chairman of the SSO Mr Goh Yew Lin.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/singapore-symphony-orchestras-outgoing-music-director-lan-shui-named-conductor |title= Singapore Symphony Orchestra's outgoing music director Lan Shui named conductor laureate |date= 27 January 2019 | author= Akshita Nanda}}</ref>

Born in Hangzhou, China, Shui is the son of a doctor and a banker. He began his musical studies on violin, but the Cultural Revolution interrupted his violin studies, and a subsequent football injury ended his dreams of becoming a violinist. At the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, he focused on conducting and composition, and worked regularly with the Beijing Symphony Orchestra. He continued his musical studies in the US at Boston University and Tanglewood, where his instructors included Michael Charry, David Hoose, and classes at Tanglewood with Leonard Bernstein. He served as an assistant conductor with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and associate conductor with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

Choo Hoey invited Shui to the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) in 1993.<ref name="Nanda"/> Shui succeeded Hoey as music director in 1997. His work in contemporary music has included leading the world premiere of Bernard Tan's Violin Concerto in January 2006, with the orchestra's leader Lynnette Seah as soloist. With the SSO, Shui has made commercial recordings for the BIS label.<ref>{{cite news | author=Andrew Clements | title=Tcherepnin Piano Concertos: Ogawa/Singapore Symphony/Shui | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2003/oct/24/classicalmusicandopera.shopping1 | work=The Guardian | date=2003-10-24 | accessdate=2017-01-12}}</ref> From 2007 to 2015, he was chief conductor of the Copenhagen Philharmonic. He was formerly principal guest conductor of the Aalborg Symphony Orchestra. He also appears semi-regularly with the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra.

== Accolades == Shui is the recipient of several international awards, including the Boston University's Distinguished Alumni Award. He also received the Cultural Medallion in 2009 in recognition of his work for the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2013-10-25 |title=On a cultural mission |url=https://www.asiaone.com/entertainment/cultural-mission |access-date=2023-10-12 |website=AsiaOne |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Skinner |first=Poppy |title=The Top 300 List: Arts and Entertainment |url=https://www.tatlerasia.com/the-scene/people-parties/the-top-300-list-arts-and-entertainment |access-date=2023-10-12 |website=Tatler Asia |language=en}}</ref>

== Personal life == Shui is a permanent resident of Singapore.<ref name=":0" />

Shui has been married twice. He has a son from his first marriage, and a son from his second marriage.<ref name="Nanda" />

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.harrisonparrott.com/artist/profile/lan-shui Harrison Parrott agency biography of Lan Shui]

{{S-start}} {{Succession box| title=Music Director, Singapore Symphony Orchestra | before=Choo Hoey | years=1997–present | after=incumbent}} {{Succession box| title=Principal Conductor, Copenhagen Philharmonic Orchestra | before=Giordano Bellincampi | years=2007–2015| after=Toshiyuki Kamioka}} {{S-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shui, Lan}} Category:Living people Category:1957 births Category:Chinese conductors (music) Category:Musicians from Hangzhou Category:Chinese emigrants to the United States Category:Boston University alumni Category:Prize-winners of the International Besançon Competition for Young Conductors Category:Recipients of the Cultural Medallion Category:21st-century conductors (music) Category:Chinese expatriates in Denmark Category:American expatriate musicians in Denmark