From Europe to Bloomington: Jacobs Scholars and Fellows gain prestige

Even though they have performed in concert halls all over the world, freshman Kornilios Michailidis and graduate student Qian Wu are now both at IU studying and performing at the Jacobs School of Music.

As incoming members of their undergraduate and graduate programs, Michailidis and Wu were given the most celebrated scholarship at the music school.

Along with seven other freshmen, Michailidis has been named a Jacobs Scholar. Wu joins three other graduate students as a Jacobs Fellow.

“I’ve always listened to music, since before I was born,” Michailidis said.

Michailidis’ mother, a famous pianist and teacher in Greece, performed right up until Michailidis was born. When the Michailidis family put the young boy in piano lessons, he enjoyed it but said he never dreamed of a career in performing.

Michailidis said he planned on a career in aeronautical engineering. After all, he was the youngest student pilot in Greece at the age of 13. However, a teacher once advised the young pianist to choose which of the two he could not live without. After a prestigious concert in Athens at the age of 17, Michailidis realized he could not live without music.

“Music is like a virus. Once you have it, it’s like an infection,” he said.

Like Michailidis, family was also the reason Wu began playing piano.

“My cousin had a piano, so I also wanted one to play with,” she said in an e-mail.

However, unlike Michailidis, Wu was set on a future with piano from an early age.

After studying piano in her native China, Wu, who is currently on a European tour, moved to London.

“When I was 13, the move to England was a huge shock — language, food and the culture,” she said in an e-mail.

However, Wu said the move to the U.S. was much easier due to the friendliness of the people and the open space.

“Everything is so jammed in London!” she said in an e-mail.

Created in 2006, the Jacobs Scholars and Fellows are chosen among the incoming Jacobs School of Music classes each year for their “excellence and leadership in the world of music”,

according to a Jacobs School press release. Eight undergraduates compose the Jacobs Scholars and four graduate students make up the Jacobs Fellows.

These scholarships further distinguish talented musicians from the already prestigious Jacobs School of Music. Notoriety for talent is normal for Michailidis and Wu, who have both played extensively in Europe.

Wu said she dreams of performing at the Royal Albert Hall in London but feels very fortunate for the wonderful places she has already played, including the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, where she recently performed.

“I love music, love performing, so I hope I can deliver this special magic thing to the people of the world,” Wu said.

Michailidis said place is not important to a performance. The quality of his performance and how the audience receives it takes precedence he said. However, Michailidis said he is considering one place in particular where he can devote his talent to teaching — his home country, Greece.

Wherever their careers lead, both performers expressed a want to share music with people.

“It can feed people in so many ways,” Michailidis said.