When all the other kids went for the more popular violin and the more conventional piano, seven-year-old Natasha Liu picked a curious instrument not many people cared about.

The tiny Chinese girl however was drawn to it because it was something she could hold and she could, literally, hear the instrument speak through her.

“I thought the cello was a very unique instrument and not many people play it,” the 35-year-old said. “I can hug it and the sound is really mellow like a human’s voice, so for me, I could really express my feelings and it’s like my voice.”

Since then, she has carried the instrument she loves everywhere she goes. But the cello brought her to many places too. Natasha went to the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama on a scholarship, stayed in Europe for a few years after she graduated and performed extensively all over the continent.

It was during this time that her reputation as an outstanding performer gradually grew. Among her most memorable performances are her stints with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and recitals at the Wales Millennium Centre (UK) and St. Marks Cathedral (Venice), as well as a successful tour of Denmark with broadcasts on Danish Radio.

In 2005, she was invited to play at St Catherine’s Dock (London) in celebration of the Singapore Season, for which then-Prime Minister of Singapore, Mr Goh Chok Tong was the distinguished guest-of-honour.

A definite highlight was a performance on UK ITV for Queen Elizabeth II on the 2005 Royal Variety Show, an annual gala gig attended by the royal family and regularly features some of the biggest stars in the world.

Her journey then took her home in 2007, after which the late Iskandar Ismail approached her to join the Spotlight ensemble. While she was very hesitant at the beginning, she wanted badly to experiment boldly with music and her own practice.

Natasha is now a Spotlight veteran, having been to three shows: Cape Town, Moscow and Prague & Bratislava.

“I think I was very lucky,” she said. “(Iskandar) brought me on this path, which I never thought a classically trained musician can do because I thought I wouldn’t fit in. These different influences took me somewhere where I had to adjust myself, to get used to it.”

The best part about being in the Spotlight ensemble, she said, is the chance to do something totally unfamiliar and different from her usual repertoire of classical music.

“In Cape Town, we met South African percussionists, folk musicians, players of traditional instrumentals which I never saw before in my life,” she said.

This musical education and the opportunity to work with some of the best performers in the world continue to motivate Natasha.  

“It’s always been my aspiration to work with people who are dedicated to music, people who are committed to their art. This time I really hope to get to know the Mexican musicians and get to know Mexican music,” she said.

“Nothing beats hearing live music, so I hope to enrich my growth as a musician.”