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Blind pianist shares his experience at IU and what’s next

By Katy Szpak

Posted January 30, 2025

David Lai performing March 30, 2024, at Auer Concert Hall at Indiana University Bloomington,

David Lai performs March 30, 2024, at Auer Concert Hall at Indiana University Bloomington. (Courtesy, David Lai)

Most musicians learn music by reading sheet music. IU pianist Jiajun (David) Lai, who became blind shortly after birth, learns music completely by ear.

He can read braille sheet music, but said he tends to learn faster without it. Living in a world of sound, he was drawn to music right away.

“I could only play with toys that had sound,” he said in his interview with “Performance Today” host Fred Child. The show aired Monday on National Public Radio, spotlighting Lai as a Young Artist in Residence.

He got his first toy keyboard when he was two years old and began taking piano lessons when he was four.

“There was always either pop songs or Chinese folk music or Western classical music at home, although my parents are not musicians, they were very supportive of all the things that I listen to,” Lai said.

He describes an eclectic taste in music — some of his favorites include classics from the Great American Songbook and scores from musicals and movies.

“Because of the nature of it, you can relive the film in your mind when you listen to this music outside of the movie,” Lai said. His favorite Broadway scores include “The Sound of Music,” “Les Misérables” and “Fiddler on the Roof.”

He graduated from the Central Conservatory of Music in China in 2019. He received his Masters degree at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Now, Lai is in the last semester of his doctoral program at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University.

Part of Lai’s scholarship to IU included teaching. Over three years, he taught a dozen classes and hundreds of students, which created a new passion for teaching. He said he is looking to pursue a professorship when he graduates.

“This opportunity really suited me…and made me decide that I wanted to be able to share music, both in the classroom with students and on stage with the audience,” Lai said.

He has one more recital to perform at IU to graduate. The date has not been set.