Luping (Robyn) Xu is a Boston-based harpsichordist with a rich palette of repertoire, ranging from early works to contemporary compositions. Driven by a deep curiosity about the roots of keyboard music, she bridges past and present by exploring works by lesser-known and underrepresented composers. She brings out each instrument’s unique voice, allowing its history to resonate with modern audiences. Ms. Xu has performed widely as a soloist and continuo player.
As a solo harpsichordist, Ms. Xu has immersed herself in repertoire spanning the Renaissance, Baroque, and early Classical periods, exploring national styles including Dutch, Italian, German, English, and French traditions. She has had the privilege of performing on Flemish, English, Italian, French, and German harpsichords, refining her understanding of each instrument’s unique characteristics and deepening her interpretative approach to historical repertoire.
Ms. Xu is also active as a collaborative artist and church music director, where her continuo skills and knowledge of early repertoire enrich her work in both sacred and secular settings. Dedicated to stylistic authenticity at the keyboard, she considers continuo playing central to her artistic development. Notable performances include Antonio Salieri’s Requiem in C Minor, Antonio Vivaldi’s Gloria with choir and orchestra at Our Lady Star of the Sea in Marblehead, MA, and Dario Castello’s Sonata Prima à Sopran Solo at the Tekla Cunningham & Cynthia Roberts Performance Masterclass during the 2023 Boston Early Music Festival. She has appeared in numerous early music recitals and chamber concerts, collaborating with both instrumentalists and vocalists. In addition to historical repertoire, Ms. Xu explores contemporary harpsichord works, such as John Morrison’s Twisted Little Ground for harpsichord and recorder, which she performed with Lizzie Knatt at the 2022 Divergent Studio Concert.
Ms. Xu holds a Master of Music and a Graduate Performance Diploma in Piano Performance from the Longy School of Music of Bard College, where she studied with Donald Berman. While earning her degrees in piano, she also pursued intensive studies in historical performance beginning in 2019. She is currently continuing her specialization in early music at Longy, pursuing a Graduate Performance Diploma in Historical Performance (Harpsichord) under the instruction of Dr. John McKean.
Watch Luping Xu perform Settima Toccata by Michelangelo Rossi (c.1601/2–1656) on the harpsichord for the 2025 Virtuoso Music Competition as part of the Charleston International Music Competition.