Hui Han Lui
PhD in Music, MA in Performance and Musicology, BMus (Music Performance), LTCL (Piano)
- Connecting music performance, research, and teaching.
- Offering Piano Lessons in Cambridge and surrounding areas.
Pianist · Researcher · Educator
I am a pianist, researcher, and educator engaged in both music performance and research, currently based in Cambridge, UK. In addition to the modern piano, I have an interest in historical keyboard instruments, particularly the clavichord.
I completed my PhD in Music at Maynooth University, Ireland, where my research focused on 19th-century piano techniques and their application on both modern and historical instruments. I also hold a Bachelor of Music (Performance) from Universiti Putra Malaysia and an MA in Performance and Musicology from Maynooth University, both awarded with first class honours. My playing has been recognised with several awards, including a YAMAHA Scholarship (2017) and selection as a finalist in the First International Aswara Piano and Vocal Competition.
My interest in early music has led me to attend various specialised academies and summer courses focused on historical instruments. These include the Historical Piano Summer Academy in 2023 in Ghent, Belgium, where I participated as a passive attendee through the Early Muse short-term scientific mission; the 2024 Early Music Summer Course in Magnano, Italy, where I studied both the clavichord and fortepiano; and the 12th International Masterclass Course for Young Pianists in 2025, organised by the Fryderyk Chopin Institute.
As a music educator, I worked as a piano teacher for around ten years, preparing students for graded piano and theory exams, as well as the Irish Leaving Certificate practical exam. My experience also include tutoring in the Music Department at Maynooth University during my PhD, providing one-to-one lessons, group piano instruction, and music theory tutorials.
TeACHING
I have worked as a piano teacher for about ten years, preparing students for ABRSM, Trinity, and RIAM graded exams, as well as the Leaving Certificate practical exam.
Additionally, I have provided one-to-one piano lessons to undergraduate piano majors, taught and examined group piano lessons, and delivered tutorials for music theory modules.
RESEARCH
My research interests centre on music performance, with a particular focus on historical keyboard instruments such as the fortepiano and clavichord, as well as the modern piano.
My PhD thesis focuses in 19th-century piano techniques and playing approaches, exploring how these can inform and enrich modern-day piano performances.
My work also examines the role of body movements and gestures in piano playing, drawing connections between physical expressivity and musical interpretation.