On Saturday, February 12, the Luther Community welcomed two of their very own to the center stage of Noble Recital Hall. Professor of Music Du Huang and Associate Professor of Music Xiao Hu performed together in their piano ensemble, Unison Piano Duo, to share a variety of pieces. 

For over twenty years, the two have traveled the globe together, sharing their talent and passion for music. Throughout the performance that passion was visible, with Hu swaying with the music as her fingers moved quickly over the keys in time with her playing partner. Hu expressed the advantages of playing in a duo. 

“One person playing the piano can already make the piano sound very symphonic, because piano is such an awesome instrument,” Hu said. “It has all kinds of levels of possibilities in terms of timbre and color. But combined with another player, sometimes on one piano – sometimes on two pianos – it doubles the fun, and we are able to take our musical ideas even further.”

Hu and Huang’s musical interest began when they were children. Both started taking piano lessons at a young age, and their talent began to grow from there. They met while students at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, and have played together ever since – as partners in music, and as partners in marriage. Their slogan, “20 fingers, one passion,” can be seen on their website, unisonpianoduo.com. Professor Huang explains the origin of their slogan and what their music is meant to bring to others.

“Though we play the same kind of instrument, there’s a lot of differences sometimes based on your training and your preference,” Huang said. “But what we are trying to do is really to put aside personal differences and work towards a common vision. So, when we say ‘Unison Piano Duo’ or ‘20 fingers, one passion,’ it reflects the same philosophy.”

During their recital, the two played a variety of selections by classical composer J.C. Bach, and more contemporary composers Carlos Guastavino, Witold Lutoslawski, and Dave Brubeck. They began with their classical roots, opening with the first two movements of Bach’s Sonata for Piano 4-hands, followed by all three movements of Guastavino’s Tres Romances. The first set closed out with Lutoslawski’s “Paganini Variations for Two Pianos.” Music Education major Jeremy Brook (‘25) expressed his thoughts on the performance, with this first half striking him in particular.

“I thought the show was beautiful,” Brook said. “Throughout the Tres Romance, the music made me think of different pictures in my head. I felt the music throughout each song.”

The second half of the show was dedicated to Dave Brubeck’s Points on Jazz. This piece, featuring as the most contemporary of the bunch, spanned eight movements and a wide range of styles. The soulful tones of each movement filled the hall as the audience sat back listening intently to the bright chords. 

At the end of the final movement, “A La Turk,” Huang and Hu received a standing ovation. Attendee Mary Rice (‘23) expressed her amazement after the show, praising the performance.

“I don’t listen to classical music at all. I expected something entirely different,” Rice said. “Their performance tonight blew me away. I enjoyed watching them play. I felt the mood change from Tres Romances to the Points on Jazz. The jazz songs were very soulful, and were beautifully played.”

While this is the last on-campus performance for the Unison Piano Duo for the foreseeable future, Huang can be seen cutting a rug in “Dancing with the Luther Stars” on February 19.