Originally from China, Lu Witzig earned her Bachelor’s degree in piano performance from Shenyang Conservatory of Music and Master’s degrees in both piano performance and collaborative piano from Illinois State University. A first prize winner of the TOYAMA Asian Piano Competition (2004), Lu is an active soloist and chamber musician. She toured China in 2018 and 2019 with performances at Shenyang and Harbin Conservatories. As a collaborative pianist, she has appeared with the Peoria Symphony’s “Musical Mondays” and “Musical Discovery” and served as staff accompanist for events such as the Midwest Regional Tuba and Euphonium Conference and the Midwest Institute of Opera. She regularly premieres works by living composers. Lu teaches in the Illinois Wesleyan Preparatory Department and has taught since 2012. Her students often earn awards and pursue music degrees. She also accompanies and performs frequently with students, faculty, and guest artists at Illinois State University.