UBC Lecturer Dr. Lucas Wong
UBC Alumnus and Lecturer in Piano, Dr. Lucas Wong’s career bridges performance, pedagogy, and innovation.
We caught up with Dr. Wong (BMus’04) to learn about his first mentors, his hopes for giving back to his alma mater and his music technology side-hustle that includes a music-and-language app that translates poetry and librettos into different languages, including Inuktitut.
What inspired you to pursue a career in music, and how did your time as a student here shape that decision?
Music began as a hobby for me before I entered UBC as a student, but it grew into a serious pursuit thanks to the incredible opportunities I encountered early on. While studying at Lord Byng Secondary School, our string ensembles were already offered to play in rehearsals alongside UBC students and faculty. I also participated in the Youth Artist Experience, focusing on chamber music and co-led by UBC Professors Rena Sharon and Eric Wilson. These experiences made my transition into the Bachelor of Music program at UBC smoother than I had expected, as I was already partly familiar with the facilities, faculty, and students. My four years at UBC further shaped my understanding of what it means to be a professional musician. This education took a holistic approach, emphasizing the integration of analysis into performance and encouraging critical engagement with editions and recordings.
“My four years at UBC further shaped my understanding of what it means to be a professional musician. This education took a holistic approach, emphasizing the integration of analysis into performance and encouraging critical engagement with editions and recordings.”
Can you share a memorable experience from your student days that influences your teaching today?
This came from an assignment in Dr. Bob’s [Pritchard] music theory class, which asked us to step into the role of the composer—a task that fundamentally changed how I understood music from the inside out. I composed a movement for string quartet, an experience that was both challenging and deeply rewarding, and I still have that original manuscript today. Later, I learned that Dr. Bob had used my piece in subsequent presentations, which was incredibly affirming. That assignment reinforced the importance of approaching performance through a compositional lens that continues to shape how I guide students to think, listen, and perform with greater intention, helping them engage their senses—eyes, ears, and imagination—to convey a composer’s intent.
What professors or courses had a lasting impact on your career path—as a performer and/or educator?
Both with the initials RS!
I was fortunate to have studied with Robert Silverman before his retirement at UBC. We worked on a wide range of repertoire, including Beethoven’s Hammerklavier Sonata. Beyond the technical and musical demands, Professor Silverman helped me identify my own artistic voice and encouraged me to think about the long-term trajectory of my career path. His mentorship also played a significant role in guiding me toward Yale University School of Music, where I ultimately pursued my master’s and doctorate studies in piano performance.
Rena Sharon’s chamber music and art song interpretation classes had a profound and lasting impact on my development as both a performer and educator, shaping a significant part of my identity as a pianist who embraces a wide range of collaborative art forms and regards them as equally artistically fulfilling. Her approach instilled in me a deep curiosity and affinity for this repertoire while encouraging artistic freedom and individuality—values that transcend the stereotypes and biases that often marginalize collaborative work—and that perspective continues to inform not only my performance but also how I mentor students to value collaboration as a powerful artistic pursuit.
Dr. Lucas Wong as a student with UBC Professor Emeritus Robert Silverman (2004) Photo: Brian Hawkes
What composers have inspired you throughout your career.
One of the earliest composers I worked with in depth was Stephen Chatman. I remember studying Proud Music of the Storm while working closely with my conducting teacher, Bruce Pullan, during my time at UBC. That experience marked one of my first sustained engagements with the music of a living composer.
Later, through the Eckhardt-Gramatte (E-Gré) Competition, I had the opportunity to broaden my repertoire with works by contemporary composers such as T. Patrick Carrabré, George Crumb, John Greer, and Jocelyn Morlock.
While studying and working in the United States, I worked extensively with William Bolcom. I had the opportunity to spend time with him and his wife, Joan Morris, going to dim sum in several cities. Our conversations and car rides often led to meaningful insights about music and life. I also worked with Libby Larsen, one of the most humble and down-to-earth musicians I’ve known, and John Musto, whose remarkable pianistic skill never failed to send me straight back to the practice room.
Below: Lucas Wong performs Couperin: L’art de toucher le clavecin: Prelude No. 5 at the FAZIOLI Concert Hall, Sacile, Italy (2023).
How has the student experience evolved over the years, in your opinion?
I think the student experience has changed considerably, particularly due to evolving career pathways, technology, and global uncertainty. While new modes of delivery in the art offer exciting opportunities, they can also contribute to increased stress and FOMO for students trying to navigate an increasingly complex landscape.
What advice would you give to current students who aspire to follow a similar path into academia or performance?
Keep networking! I would encourage you to stay in touch with your alma mater (UBC!), especially with former mentors and peers. I deeply value the ongoing relationships I continue to have with my UBC community. Those moments of catching up often spark new ideas, offer fresh perspectives, and remain artistically and professionally relevant. Maintaining those connections can be just as important as the next chapter of your life and study.
“Keep networking! I would encourage you to stay in touch with your alma mater (UBC!), especially with former mentors and peers. I deeply value the ongoing relationships I continue to have with my UBC community.”
You are also developing an app? Tell us more about that.
I continue to build and refine apps that explore the worlds of music and language. Some recent developments include an automated International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) app that translates poetry and librettos into languages including Inuktitut; a user interface that enables choir members to learn their individual parts; and a videoconferencing platform designed for lower-latency MIDI transmission between participants.
Looking ahead, what do you hope to contribute to the school as both an alumnus and a faculty member?
I hope to contribute by organizing events and gatherings that strengthen connections among our music alumni. As a faculty member, I would value the opportunity to give back to my community through teaching and service.
What are you listening to these days?
These days, I follow record guides such as Gramophone magazine and the Naxos Music Library for new releases.
Dr. Lucas Wong is acclaimed for his “brilliant and sensitive” playing (Fanfare) and “gifts for color, nuance, and tasteful dynamic contrasts” (Gramophone), he brings his artistry to solo, chamber, and opera performances. His latest recording TAUBERT, W. Piano Sonatas Nos. 1, 2, 4, 6 (Romantic Piano, Vol. 2) is part of a brand new Naxos series “Romantic Piano”, this disc explores world premieres of Taubert’s piano works.
