Piano student’s very public journey

IF you regularly visit Strath Village, chances are you have seen thirteen-year-old Laura Vu playing well-known, much-loved tunes on the shopping centre’s public piano.

Her music drifts through the building, adding life and colour to the atmosphere as she plays the instrument installed for public use by the Rotary Club of Bendigo late last year.

With so much skill, it’s surprising to learn that Vu has only been playing for six years, starting soon after her family migrated from Vietnam to Bendigo when she was seven.

“They came across me, because I’ve been so dedicated, I’ve been playing a lot,” she said.

Vu said she was inspired to start learning the piano after hearing a pupil at Camp Hill Primary School play when she first arrived in Bendigo.

“The moment I entered the main office I could hear someone playing the piano, and I was fascinated by how good the student was,” she said.

Along the way Vu said her Camp Hill piano and performing arts teachers, notably Kathleen Gee and Mary Thorpe, were supportive from the beginning, allowing her to push her skill-level to new heights.

Having started high school at Bendigo South East College this year, Vu said her new teachers were doing lots to help foster her dreams.

She now practises at BSE’s auditorium or band room when at school, and at Strath Village afterwards for an average of two-three hours a day.

If she has a day away from the piano, Vu said she will try to inspire herself with videos.

“I’ll be on my phone watching piano tricks,” she said.

Like many new Australian’s, Vu said her parents moved to the country for more opportunities, and her mum and dad have been working at the Shamrock Hotel since arriving in 2016.

They have all also received Australian citizenship, bought a block of land and built a house, and just this year bought a restaurant at Strath Village, Hanoi Street Food.

“They dreamed of being chefs since they were little, and now they are living their dreams,” said Vu. “They gave me inspiration to fulfil my dream as a musician someday.

“We would never have thought that we’d be in Australia now, or owning a restaurant, or having a house, or being citizens here. So, we’ve achieved a lot in eight years.”

Vu said an idea which motivates her is “there’s no such thing as talent there’s only skills and hard work.”

Vu’s dad, Vin Vu, said the family is very proud of her.

“On her seventh birthday we bought her a small keyboard and she started like that, researching by herself. Then she started lessons at Camp Hill,” said Mr Vu.

“Myself and my wife, we are chefs, we don’t have much musical experience, but Laura has done very well by herself.”

Vu said she is thrilled to have been chosen by organisers to play as part of the Strath Village Easter celebration on Saturday, 1 April from 10.45am for half-an-hour.