After graduating from The Juilliard School during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Matthew Liu (Pre-College ’14; BM ’18, MM ’20, composition) faced an uncertain future in a stalled music industry. Liu described his experience with Juilliard’s first-ever virtual graduation and the challenges that followed. “It’s been five years since I participated in Juilliard’s first-ever Zoom graduation. The whole world had shut down just months earlier due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Yo-Yo Ma (Pre-College ’71; Professional Studies ’72, cello) was encouraging us with his thoughts on the relevancy of the arts—his face just a small, glitching thumbnail on my screen. I remember thinking: ‘Is this how it happens? Is this really how I graduate???'”
Liu graduated with two degrees in Music Composition from Juilliard and found himself searching for direction as Broadway productions were halted by the pandemic. He recalled questioning his next steps: “But there I was, fresh out of college with two degrees in Music Composition from Juilliard (three including Pre-College) with no idea what to do. I’d come to be known as the ‘Broadway composer’ during my time at Juilliard, but nothing was happening in the business as COVID brought it all to a screeching halt. I still had that itch as I’ve always been one to challenge and ask myself, ‘Okay, what else can I do? What else do I love to do? And how well can I do it?’ And luckily, it turned out I could do more than just compose pretty well.”
Drawing on experience gained through piano studies with Yi-heng Yang and conducting studies with Jeffrey Milarsky at Juilliard, Liu accepted an offer from Nederlander Group to serve as music director for Sound of the Silk Road in China—a collaboration between American and Chinese partners requiring bilingual skills.
His work abroad rekindled his interest in performing. “Getting to befriend the actors in China awakened my dormant love for performing and taking center stage,” he said. Upon returning home, Liu began auditioning for acting roles and soon joined Actors’ Equity Association.
Since then, Liu has played significant roles such as Song Liling in David Henry Hwang’s M. Butterfly and Wallace Hartley in Titanic. He also performed Itzhak Perlman’s violin pieces while playing Fiddler on the Roof seven times a week. He reflected on working alongside admired figures in theater and film: “I’ve gotten to work as both an actor and music director with my idols in both theater and film and even had the opportunity to call many of them friends.”
Most recently, Liu took a lead role at AMT Theater’s off-Broadway show Upside Down—his first fully staged lead role in New York City.
Though not formally trained as an actor at Juilliard, Liu applies composition techniques learned there to acting roles: “I didn’t study acting in a degree program, but I’ve found that I can apply the composition practices I learned at Juilliard to my acting roles: How do I compose the world in which this character lives? What are the specifics of my tone, my approach, my intention, and my senses? How can I assemble the truth of who I am when I portray this role? I believe to be a great writer you need to know yourself very deeply…and to be an actor it’s very much the same.”
Liu continues composing alongside performing; last year he contributed both song and performance for Juilliard Pride Songbook’s inaugural edition and is commissioned by New Jersey Music Teachers Association for four new works next year.
He acknowledges both achievements and setbacks since graduation: “Yes there have been triumphs…but there have also been as many disappointments…I’ve been called back for numerous prestigious roles…only to be told that I look too young or too old…Or shows that don’t happen due to change in venue leadership or even death of an investor…”
Despite these obstacles—and recognizing his opportunities—Liu expressed gratitude for making art central to his life: “But I’ve come to recognize my privilege: I get to make a life out of what I love to do….It hasn’t been easy and nowhere near secure but I am grateful…”
He credits support from friends like roommate Philip Sheegog (BM ’17 MM ’19 cello), sharing advice received along his journey: “My roommate and friend Philip Sheegog (BM ’17 MM ’19 cello) once told me: ‘The life best lived is the life where we get to choose our own regrets.’ And I can say highs and lows notwithstanding that I’ve found a life and career that I can stand behind…”
Liu concludes by emphasizing resilience amid uncertainty about what comes next.
