Alumnus, Edward Liu

Music Producer, Audio Engineer & High School Teacher Edward Liu (AKA EDYONTHEBEAT) completed his LTCL Trinity College of London Piano Recital diploma at age 16, and went on to complete his Bachelor of Music majoring in Popular Music (2019) as well as a Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Secondary Education) (2020).  His musical journey began at age five, with private piano lessons. Little did he know that this would later lead him in a lifelong journey of learning, teaching and practising in the music industry as well as in secondary education.

More recently in 2018, Edward took a gap year from tertiary education to work all around Australia in cities such as Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney as a freelance Music Producer for Warner Music Australia. During this time, he was fortunate enough to be mentored by music producer Willie Tafa (Ariana Grande, Ella Mai, OneFour), and work with artists and songwriters in the various cities.

Since then, he has been nominated for “Best Producer” at the Pacific Music Awards (2020) and participated in workshops with profound audio engineers such as Andrew Scheps (JayZ, Green Day) and Mark Rankin (Adele, Florence and The Machine). 

Aside from running his production company, Edward also works full time as a classroom music teacher at Avondale College, and part time as a music studio intern supplemented by the NZ Music Commission.

Attended Western Springs College: 2011-2014

School life, what it meant to me…

Western Springs was an environment that I felt comfortable expressing myself. I was able to really work on whatever I wanted to excel at, whilst the teachers there attentively made sure I was well-equipped with the necessary tools to be a motivated lifelong learner. When I think back to Western Springs College I think about trying new things without hesitation. I learnt to appreciate and value academic subjects such as English, Calculus and Accounting while I spent all my intervals, lunchtimes and after school either in the TAPAC dance studios or the music department practice rooms. There is no doubt that the outstanding teachers of Western Springs inspired me to also pursue a career in secondary education, to give back to the next generation of Kiwi musicians!

My greatest achievements…

I’m most proud of the chaotic, rewarding, forever-evolving life that I have built for myself over the years, with special thanks to my parents for tolerating my late night bedroom studio sessions while they are trying to sleep. I’m proud to be surrounded by other highly-motivated, hardworking people, that I’m proud to say are my whānau. They say that you are a product of your environment – I can definitely say that without my friends and family, my greatest achievements would cease to exist. There are so many things that could be classed as ‘greatest achievements’, but personally for me, my happiness and contentedness of working and sustaining a career in the music industry as well as education is certainly a dream come true. As a high school teacher, I deal with over a hundred different characters and personalities every single day, equipping students with life tools, preparing them for music assessments and watching them grow into more capable musicians over an extended period of time. As a music producer and engineer, I’m responsible for the creative direction of songs and creating music that people can relate or connect to. The contrast of these two simultaneous career paths have allowed me to play a constructive, positive role in society while I still get to broaden my creative capacity on a daily basis.

A source of inspiration…

Nature. I love going for long walks with my dog Nikki (Huntaway Cross), without technology so that I can just zone out, enjoy the fresh air and beautiful scenery of Aotearoa, regional parks, beaches, forests you name it. The time away from the real world allows me to recharge, refocus and be more productive when I return. I also love listening to podcasts/interviews of other musicians or entrepreneurs as it motivates me to continue pursuing my visions.

My working style…

I work well with to-do lists, and I certainly cannot function without my apple calendar. I have reminder lists organised into different categories and priorities so that I know what to focus on and when my deadlines are. Typically, I can’t bear to leave work unfinished, so often I sacrifice sleeping hours to complete my tasks. I learn and process information best when it is a combination of aural and visual. (For example, a conversation + written notes). I’m a big believer in trusting the process, and that even if there are flaws in my work, I know the next time will be better. 

Special to me…                                                                                                                                                       

My friends & family. They are the flowers to my garden – they bring colour to my world.   

I love…

A movie that makes you really think.

I dislike…

Waking up early in the morning (I’m a night owl)

Thought on life…

Life is a constant learning journey, so enjoy it. Embrace the flaws and the failures, because they are a reminder that we are still growing! Success is measured in different units by different people, so it’s important that we choose a unit that we can be content with, so that we can live life knowing that we had the power over our own success, regardless of what others may think or believe.