Renowned pianist and philanthropist Ginny Tiu reflects on a life of music and giving BY KARA JERNIGAN Stepping on stage to face a room crowded with people may be intimidating to most, but for Ginny Tiu it is what comes naturally. As an accomplished pianist, Tiu is not afraid of the limelight. At a young age she recognized the importance of having a sense of self. She spent her childhood performing in concert halls around the world, including the prestigious Carnegie Hall and Buckingham Palace. However, she watched other musicians and performers on stage and saw emptiness in many of their lives. “They need to be up there all charged-up all the time,” says Tiu. “So I saw that and I realized that’s not what I want. I need something much more, something deeper.” Music became not only a means of success for Tiu, but also an opportunity to extend a benevolent hand to the people of Hawai‘i.
Protégé When Tiu was only threeand-a-half years old, her parents recognized her potential as a pianist. Playing by ear came naturally for Tiu. She was fascinated by her father’s piano and wanted to mimic his music. She remembers listening to him and then picking out the keys he hit. Daily practice led
to her debut on The Ed Sullivan Show. “My dad always reminded me that the gift I have with music is a gift from God and that it’s nothing to get big headed about, but something to be very thankful of,” she says. “The main thing, he said, was to share it—to share it with other people and give joy back. Music is a great tool for bringing people together.” Over the years, Tiu enjoyed traveling and meeting new people. She even co-starred with Elvis Presley in the musical comedy, Girls! Girls! Girls! Though Tiu was only eight years old at the time, she remembers being impressed by Elvis’ southern manners and the way he addressed her parents as “sir” and “ma’am.” When she was invited back to perform in It Happened at the World’s Fair, her busy performance schedule forced her to decline. “I remember wanting to do the second movie but my dad said no,” she says. “I couldn’t because I was already committed to play for President Kennedy at the same time as the filming and had a lot of other commitments to perform as well. I remember being sorely disappointed.” Tiu has recorded several albums over the years. “When I was five years old, I actually did make one of those big album recordings,” she says with a laugh. “More LasVegasBound
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