The 2023 student composer is pianist Christopher Vuong, who graduated with a degree in Piano Performance and Neuroscience. Hailing from River Ridge, Louisiana, Christopher began taking piano lessons at the age of five and chose to study piano with Professor Faina Lushtak upon matriculation at Tulane. His piece is called “Viatrix,” which is Latin for “traveler.” The piece draws inspiration from the many places our graduates have come from and will go, but, in the end, it reminds us that we can all call New Orleans home.
Christopher was drawn to Tulane’s School of Liberal Arts for the music performance culture and the opportunity for multidisciplinary study. Working under the tutelage of some of his most influential professors — Dr. Barbara Jazwinski and Dr. Courtney Bryan — Christopher performed in multiple recitals, ensembles, and concerts, including two concerto performances with the Tulane Orchestra as a piano soloist. He accomplished all of this while also studying neuroscience and conducting research with Dr. Song Hong at the LSU School of Medicine. He is a 2023 recipient of the Sarah I. Nadler Memorial Award in Music, which noted the numerous other awards he’s received for performance and composition – locally, regionally and nationally.
Outside of the classroom, Christopher enjoys giving back to his hometown community. He volunteers with Make Music NOLA and the Roots of Music to tutor underserved students in New Orleans and plays at Lambeth House Retirement Community with the Music Therapy Club. After graduation, he will attend the LSU School of Medicine.