Maria Lui is a screen composer, remix artist, and singer-songwriter of Chinese/Filipino descent who was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia. Self-taught on the piano, she ​is passionate about composing emotive​,​ often thematic pieces​; creating intimate spaces to infinite atmospheres​; and ​producing​ orchestral​/electronic sound-designed palettes​ to enhance the emotional narratives of her client's films. Maria's love of collaboration and empathic nature, enables her to musically express the dynamic range of storytelling, balanced with a filmmaker's intention.
In 2019, Maria embarked upon earning her MA in Professional Media Composition for Film, Television and Video Games, with ThinkSpace Education and The University of Chichester, and graduated with distinction in 2021. She is a member of​ SOCAN, The Canadian Federation of Musicians, The Screen Composers Guild of Canada​, and The Alliance for Women Film Composers​; and through these organizations received extraordinary mentorship from ​award winning composers Chris McGuire, Catherine Joy, and Graeme Coleman.
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Her most recent work​ includes ​the CBC feature documentary 'What We Carry' (2025)​; premiering at the 2025 Edmonton International Film Festival​ and directed by Jessie Anthony, who won British Columbia's ​Best Emerging Filmmaker at The Vancouver International Film Festival in 2020. Maria landed this project having been selected for Core Music Agency's inaugural​ 'Female and BIPOC Mentorship Program​ 2022', ​by ​talent agents Trish Klein​, Ari Wise, ​and Emmy-nominated composer Miriam Cutler,​ who further ​developed Maria's​ administrative and composing skills ​when working with independent, Hallmark, and Lifestyle channel​ filmmakers.​ In 2023, Maria delivered a library album commission for ESPN in the tone of 'Serious Piano and Strings', which stemmed from being accepted into the Women's Audio Mission 2022 mentorship program 'Composing for TV, Advertising & Film', and resulted in an acquisition by ESPN/Disney of her orchestral fusion track ‘Speed’.
Prior to schooling, Maria earned a short but diverse list of credits, most notably co-composing an award-nominated score with platinum​-record awarded producer Ken ‘hiwatt’ Marshall​, and Juno awarded Jeremy Breaks, for​ the multi-award winning feature length film based on Stephen King’s short story, ​‘The Doctor’s Case’ (2018), adapted for screen and directed by James Douglas.
Maria’s pivotal step back into music happened when she entered a remix contest for the band Collide, and landed on their remix album ‘Mind &Matter’ (2018), with her orchestral interpretation ‘Intruder - Maria Lui December Remix’; later re-released by Collide in 2025 as a single and album release of their remastered catalogue 'Signals - Volume 2'. She also had the pleasure to contribute vocals and instrumentation for an epic collaboration of electronic and industrial artists’ debut release ‘Black Line’ (2017).
Immediately after graduating, Maria created audio logo branding for Emmy awarded camera operator and editor, Artur Gajda, of ThinkFarm Productions; and contributed original score to Gajda’s documentary, 'A Normal Life' (2021). She also volunteers as a preliminary round judge for The Cue Tube’s 'Annual Score Relief Competition', whose proceeds go towards the global organization, In Place of War.
Maria's 17 years, before her return to music, were lived in Europe where she learned golf as an adult beginner, and later became the only female in Europe to be trained under Mac O'Grady (MORAD), alongside PGA Tour Professionals and UK National Coaches. She earned her Body Matters in Golf Biomechanics, Mind Factor Mental Game Coach, and UKPGA Golf Instructor certifications; and worked for ESPN/ABC during The British Open Golf Championship tournaments for several seasons, covering the men’s, women’s and senior’s rotations. Maria was also a mental game coach and caddy on The European PGA Senior Men's Tour; and upon her return to Canada, operated her own golf school. Maria aims to apply the work ethic, focus and commitment traits she gained through golf, towards her journey back into music; and hopes to be rewarded with rich life experiences attained through developing her skills, overcoming milestones, and creatively expressing herself through music.