News

Welcome! This page is dedicated to the music of Kevin Lau. For quick access to audio-visual recordings of Kevin's compositions, please check out the Media page. Be sure to check back for regular updates!

2025 Johanna Metcalf Performing Arts Prize

In 2025, Kevin was awarded the prestigious Johanna Metcalf Performing Arts Prize, one of the largest unrestricted prizes for all artists in Ontario, celebrating mid-career artists across multiple disciplines. He named composer Michelle Lorimer as the recipient of the Protege prize.

Kimiko's Pearl

The World Premiere of a new Canadian ballet, Kimiko's Pearl, will take place from June 22-23 at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre in St. Catharines. Featuring music by Kevin Lau, the ballet dramatizes the Japanese-Canadian internment through the eyes of Kimiko, a modern-day teenager whose family experienced the tragedy of the internment first hand.

CD Release

Kevin Lau's debut album, "Under a Veil of Stars," features the St. John-Mercer-Park Trio and is now available for purchase/streaming on multiple platforms. For more information, visit Under a Veil of Stars and Leaf Music.

Book Release

The Nightingale is now a children's book! Featuring illustrations by Amy Scheidegger Ducos, music and text by Kevin Lau, and performances by Scott St. John, Nathan Williams, Kevin Lau, and narrator Miya Shay. Visit ROCO for more details.

Upcoming Performances (2025 - )

• January 29, 2026 - A Drop of Light. Jim Campbell and co., Adam Chamber Music Festival, Nelson, New Zealand.



• February 1, 2026 - Seventh String Quartet. Poiesis Quartet, Evergreen Museum, Baltimore, MD, USA.



• February 22, 2026 - Child of the Stars. Symphony Nova Scotia, Rebecca Cohn Auditorium, Halifax, NS.



• April 6, 2026 - Seventh String Quartet. Poiesis Quartet, Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN, USA.



• April 12, 2026 - A House Covered With Dawn. Manitoba Chamber Orchestra & Sonora Voices, Crescent Arts Centre, Winnipeg, MB.



• April 18, 2026 - Tales Before the Dawn of Time. ROCO, Church of St. John the Divine, Houston, TX, USA.



• May 7, 2026 - Symphonic Suite from Kimiko's Pearl. Niagara Symphony Orchestra, FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, St. Catharines, ON.



• June 17-18, 2026 - Dark Angels Concert Suite. National Arts Centre Orchestra, National Arts Centre, Ottawa, ON.

Articles and Interviews

• May 29, 2024 - National Arts Centre - KIMIKO'S PEARL: A ballet forged across generations



• April 3, 2024 - Ludwig Van Toronto - Composer Kevin Lau talks about ballet, composition, and KIMIKO'S PEARL



• February 27, 2024 - Ludwig Van Toronto - Cantabile Chamber Choir premieres work by Dr. Kevin Lau



• October 5, 2023 - CBC: In Concert - Revelation Hour: Kevin Lau



• July 21, 2023 - Symphony Magazine - Four Composers, Multiple Directions



• July 5, 2023 - James Strecker Reviews the Arts - Interview with Kevin Wilks Lau



• May 26, 2022 - CBC - How Asian-Canadian artists are incorporating their heritage into their music



• April 13, 2020 - The Globe and Mail - Artist Is Not Present



• February 7, 2020 - Houston Chronicle - ROCO Concerto Inspired by NASA, ancient Chinese instrument



• February 7, 2020 - ROCOInsider - Of Two Worlds: Q&A with composer Kevin Lau



• November 22, 2019 - Ottawa Citizen - Composer Kevin Lau sheds light on his new work, A DROP OF LIGHT



• April 4, 2018 - Chron - The Inspiring Songs of the Nightingale



• May 30, 2017 -Musical Toronto Composer Kevin Lau Wins Lynch-Staunton Award



• April 17, 2017 - Artsfile - Encount3rs with Ballet: Kevin Lau steps up to the stage



• July 9, 2016 - Musical Toronto - Five Minutes with Kevin Lau



• June 2, 2016 - The Toronto Star - "Original music the other ingredient of LE PETIT PRINCE



• March 2, 2016 -Barczablog - 10 Questions for Kevin Lau



• June 26, 2012 - UofT News - Behind the Music of Kevin Lau



• February 2, 2012 - Musical Toronto - Enterprising Composer Not Afraid to Toy With Simplicity


For a full listing of past performances, check out the performance archive.