Alice Shu-Yao Sheu – harpsichord, organ, piano

Alice Shu-Yao Sheu is a Taiwanese-American harpsichordist, historical organist, and pianist. Currently based in the Netherlands, she earned a Master’s degree in harpsichord performance at the Koninklijk Conservatorium Den Haag with Siebe Henstra while also taking organ lessons with Reitze Smits at HKU Utrecht Conservatorium. At this moment she continues to work with Pieter-Jan Belder. She is the director and curator of Fitzwilliam Festival Taiwan (January 2023), the first harpsichord festival on the island featuring music from the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book.

She will perform on the NMM’s Neapolitan harpsichord from about 1530. It is among the world’s oldest playable harpsichords. In typical Italian style, the instrument, with its thin walls, has a separate outer case. Additionally, she will play the NMM’s spinet by Charles Haward from 1689. Early English keyboard instruments are typically handsome pieces of furniture, and this is no exception—the curly figure of its walnut case is especially attractive.

Dr. Sheu is known for her work with various historical keyboards from the 16th to 18th century. She was invited to perform a solo program at Museum Vleeshuis in Antwerp on the historical 1747 Dulcken after winning the Vlaamse International Klavecimbeldag Competition in Mechelen. She regularly works with the instrument building program at KASK Gent, performing on various copies of historical keyboards made by student builders. An avid researcher, she has given a lecture-presentation at the Orpheus Institute Gent about playing from Italian Partitura, and subsequently performed from the historical notation. Organ concerts include Oosthuizen, Netherlands, Ping-Tung Performance Hall, and the National Concert Hall Taipei. She has also performed with Het Nederlands Bach consort, violinist Lisa Jacobs, American Bach Soloist Academy orchestra, and in Festival Oude Muziek Utrecht.

Dr. Sheu also holds a Master’s degree in piano performance from Longy School of Music (USA) and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Chicago.