Noteworthy

Propelled by a passion for arts, culture, and community, Deborah Lau-Yu is the co-founder and principal at PALETTERA, an award-winning Canadian design firm specializing in meaningful storytelling through event branding, design, marketing campaigns, editorial, and print. She is also the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Fête Chinoise, an award-winning cultural platform championing contemporary Chinese culture in Canada through its magazine, online community, cultural and art projects, and signature Lunar New Year showcase.

Deborah’s path to the Gala Committee began with a conversation with TSO Board Member John Gerhardt, who invited her to take part. The two reflected on the power of music and the arts in their community — a theme that resonated deeply with her. Having grown up learning piano and clarinet, and with a lifelong love of music and singing, she saw the role as an opportunity to help bring those experiences to the next generation. Her hope is that more children will “lean into the arts and music at large,” and that her own children will allow music “to open their hearts as they journey through life.”

Noteworthy: What do you think makes a night at the symphony different from other cultural experiences in the city?

Deborah Lau-Yu: Music is a universal language and also has the ability to heal. I believe that a night out at the symphony can make you feel completely refreshed, and the sound waves surround you with transformative power — I have personally walked in with loads of stress or a headache and left completely fresh and with lightness.

NW: What does live performance mean to you — whether it’s music, fashion, art, or something else?

DLY: Live performances are incredible because they remind us of our physicality as humans. When I see a performer give it their all, to communicate beauty to the audience, it’s a very humbling moment because you realize how much they have to give on stage so that the audience is moved and receives something.

NW: The Gala supports youth music education and community access — why do you think that kind of impact matters in a city like Toronto?

DLY: Absolutely, in the formative years of childhood, youth and adolescence, music education can not only unlock talent or dreams, but it also forms the foundation for the future so that more people can understand music and connect through it. We also live in a diverse city with many children of diaspora and new immigrant families who are setting their foundation. During that process, they might not have the time or means to have regular access to music education and the programming through the symphony and schools is significant for children who otherwise might not have the exposure.

NW: What excites you about making classical music more visible and accessible to new generations?

DLY: As with all forms of art, appreciating history while innovating the future is important. The two go hand in hand, and there is wisdom in music from different eras. The reverence for classical music and making it more visible and accessible is great, because there is so much to learn from it. All the instruments and musicians involved in delivering a piece of music are also a breathtaking visual display of complexity and teamwork. It helps us appreciate the things we take for granted, like soundtracks for major films and scores that quietly exist, and complete the culture we intake.

NW: Did you have any kind of musical influence or creative spark when you were growing up?

DLY: I played piano growing up, and the clarinet in my school band and symphony. I’m thankful for that because, although I’m not gifted in music, it set a foundation for my appreciation for all types of music. I was most interested in Canto-pop music in our family, drawn equally to ballads, which sparked my interest in learning more about written Chinese characters. I also served on my church’s worship team during high school and university, when my eyes and ears were opened to the idea of chords instead of sheet music.

NW: Without giving away your outfit, how do you approach dressing for a night like this?

DLY: I think it’s important to celebrate in life… These occasions give us something to remember with our family, friends and team, so I like to see it as a fun process of choosing and curating an outfit that feels celebratory. For this gala, we will be celebrating music, so that gives a wide range of tones, flow and colour. I’m grateful to have the help of my friend Nicholas Mellamphy to curate something fabulous. 

Discover more about the people and purpose behind the Toronto Symphony Orchestra Gala at TSO.CA/Gala.