Dennis Lau
Dennis Lau (born 9 September 1985) is a Malaysian-Chinese electric violinist, pianist, songwriter and producer based in Kuala Lumpur. Childhood and early beginnings. Lau was born and raised in Ipoh, where he lived for 8 years before permanently moving to Kuala Lumpur. At that time, he studied in SRJK(C) San Min. His first exposure to music began at the age of 3 with the piano, under the guidance of his mother Chuah Chai Eng, who is a pianist herself. When he turned 11, Lau became the youngest in Malaysia to reach Grade 8 in the ABRSM graded  piano exam. Lau also took up violin lessons on the side when he was 8 years old, under the tutelage of prominent violin instructors in Malaysia, Nora Kim and the late Andrew Chye. By the age of 15, he obtained the ATCL Diploma, and within the following years, he was awarded for his outstanding performance for his LTCL and FTCL exams. After secondary studies, he decided to further his education in music, citing that he was "bad in his academics" and since his interests gravitated more towards the arts, "music was the only thing" that he could "pass". Education (2004–2006 ). He attended UCSI University for his tertiary studies and graduated in 2006 with a B.A in Music under the Newcastle Australian Music Degree Programme, with a Double Major in Piano and Violin. At that time, Lau was also actively involved as a regular secessionist with the RTM Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra. He also held the first violin position for the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPYO). During his second year, Lau was already frequently playing the violin in hotel lounges and took part in a bit of acting on the side. By his third year, he started composing his own  songs and initiated more collaborations with local artistes, which contributed to his popularity. Career. Pre-Debut (2007–2009). Lau quickly became well known for his frequent appearances in high-profile events and functions as a performer. Apart from playing at launches of well-known brands, he also performed for Dato' Sri Khalid bin Mohamad Jiwa and Dato' Siti Nurhaliza's first wedding anniversary in 2007. In 2007 itself, he founded Mosaic Entertainment Group, a platform that offers artistes the chance to showcase their talent by giving them the opportunity to perform at various functions. Debut (2009). In November 2009, Lau launched  his maiden album titled DiversiFy, which won an award for Best Producer. Sony Music Entertainment signed Lau on and took on the role as distributors of DiversiFy — this made Lau the first instrumental artiste to be signed on with Sony in the whole nation. Lau also made a guest appearance in Star World's Asia Uncut Programme hosted by Jon Niermann in Shanghai. On top of that, he also had his first collaboration with an international artiste when he performed with David Tao during his 'Love Can' concert. Eventually, Lau was travelling around the world to perform at various functions  in the presence of notable public figures.