Exciting New Appointment to the Music Department
We are delighted to announce an exciting new addition to the Eltham College Music Department. Yuyao Qu has joined the team in the newly created role of Associate Accompanist and Performance Coach, bringing with her a wealth of experience and expertise.
Yuyao studied piano at the Royal Academy of Music before completing a Master’s in Collaborative Piano at the Royal College of Music. She is now an in-demand professional accompanist, known for her sensitive musicianship and collaborative approach.
At Eltham, Yuyao works closely with our music scholars, offering weekly coaching sessions every Monday after school. These sessions provide pupils with the opportunity to explore complex repertoire and develop a deeper understanding of ensemble performance, working alongside a professional accompanist in a supportive and enriching environment.
“I really enjoy the sessions that I have with Yuyao – it’s definitely making my playing much better,” one student told us. “I can’t wait to perform with her in the future!”
In addition to her coaching role, Yuyao also accompanies performers in all our high-level solo concerts and recitals, helping to elevate the standard of performance and provide pupils with valuable experience in professional-level collaboration.
Director of Music, Mr Johns, said: “It’s quite something to have an accompanist of Yuyao’s quality as part of a school music department. The way that the pupils play when she is accompanying is so much more professional, and they’re able to experiment and unlock new depths in their performance due to the quality of the piano playing underneath them. It’s super exciting!”
“The standard of playing from the Eltham pupils is so high – much higher than I expected from a school!” Yuyao added. “It’s a real pleasure to work with them and see them improve.”
We are thrilled to welcome Yuyao to Eltham College and look forward to the continued growth and success of our young musicians under her guidance.
