Born in 1994, Shiyu Liu began her musical studies at the age of four. She entered the Affiliated Primary School of Wuhan Conservatory of Music when she was 9, studying under the tutelage of Professor Yiqing Wu. In 2014, she was admitted to Wuhan Conservatory of Music with the highest score and subsequently received her Bachelor of Music degree there. Liu earned her Master of Music degree in Piano Performance at Texas Christian University School of Music with full scholarship, where she was a student of Dr. Tamás Ungár. Currently, Liu is pursuing her Doctoral of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance at Arizona State University Herberger School of Music with full scholarship and assistantships. Liu is now in the class of Dr. Baruch Meir.
Sara grew up in northern Virginia, actively involved in the VA Synod of the ELCA and all things music-related. She devoted her summers to Caroline Furnace Lutheran Camp, where she learned the importance of quiet time alone with God and how to lead impromptu praise breaks with her guitar. After graduating with her BA in Spanish Education, with an endorsement in English to Speakers of Other Languages, from Valdosta State University, she spent a couple of years teaching high school Spanish in southeast Georgia before taking a position in her family’s manufacturing company. She enjoyed the opportunity to learn the family business and work from home with her 1-year-old son, but came down with Guillain-Barre Syndrome in 2015, a rare neurological disorder that left her paralyzed head-to-toe and on a ventilator for months. She credits her physical recovery so far to God’s hands and the healing effects of donated plasma. Sara is well-versed in social media marketing and loves exploring new ways to connect with the community in a positive way. When she isn’t making arts & crafts or riding her recumbent tricycle with her son, you can find her online, advocating for and encouraging others with rare or “invisible” diseases.