Final Forte 2025: Lucy Wu

– My name is Lucy Wu.
I play the cello and I am a junior at Whitefish Bay High School.
[applause] – Announcer: And now Lucy Wu is taking the stage.
[orchestral music] – This is my second time in the Final Forte.
The first time playing with an orchestra is very daunting.
But after a while, you realize how everyone behind you is there to support you.
[orchestral music] I’ve gotten to play with three more orchestras since playing with the Madison Symphony: the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the Chippewa Valley Symphony Orchestra, and the Oistrakh Symphony of Chicago.
My quartet at the Music Institute of Chicago’s Academy had a very successful year and won many national titles.
I love chamber music because it is all about working in a team.
– Good, good, good, good.
– I will be playing the third movement of the Dvork Cello Concerto.
This piece is definitely the most intense piece I’ve ever played.
I’ve really enjoyed learning how to approach that.
– Stefan Kartman: Here we go, boom!
– I’ve been studying with Dr. Stefan Kartman for over seven years, which is a long time.
I really enjoy studying with him.
I think he always has super inspiring ideas.
– Okay, you need to make us dream a little bit.
– Lucy: We go beyond playing the notes in tune and with good tone.
We go into what kind of story you want to tell with this.
– I can tell that you have a big task ahead, and that’s exactly what you want at the beginning.
– Lucy: Although my parents aren’t musicians, we all love music.
My sister is a violinist.
[sister laughing] She’s very good.
[sister talking] – Oh, yeah, it’s like, F C minus… My mom is a math professor, so I grew up under her instruction.
– What the interval is, right?
The interval is, in theory, AB.
– Lucy: Oh, yeah, yeah.
It’s definitely helped me with math at school.
I started working at Mathnasium last September.
Hi, Ruby.
And I really enjoy it.
Let’s do two more, then.
I primarily work with elementary school kids.
And they are just the sweetest people ever.
It’s also very rewarding to witness their growth.
Oh, that’s perfect.
[cello and piano music] I think music is all about storytelling.
The story with Dvork third movement is definitely a great narrative of a hero’s culmination of their journey.
I really enjoy playing it.
[ending note] [applause]