Born and raised in British Columbia, Canada, Maria Lui is a screen composer, remixer, and singer-songwriter. Self-taught on the piano, she loves to compose heart squeezing emotive pieces, create lush atmospheres, and experiment with layering orchestral, electronic and sound design elements.
Since committing to music in 2017, Maria accumulated a short but diverse list of credits which motivated her to gain a comprehensive skill set required to work as a screen composer in today’s media industry. In 2021, she earned her MA in Professional Media Composition for Film, Television and Video Games, with ThinkSpace Education and The University of Chichester.
At the time of her graduation, Maria was one of only three students in her program of study, to be awarded an overall distinction, over the past five years.
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). Maria 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.
In 2022, Maria was onboard two separate mentorship programs. The first, with Jane Aurora’s Vancouver based Producers Lounge, ‘Elev-8’ Program. The second mentorship, ‘Composing for TV, Film and Advertising’, was sponsored by ESPN, delivered through San Francisco based Women’s Audio Mission, and taught by Catherine Joy, President for The Alliance for Women Film Composers, and CEO of Joy Music House. The latter, resulted in Maria landing her first library deal, with her orchestral fusion track 'Speed', created in the workshop and selectively attained by ESPN/Disney, whom in 2023 commissioned Maria to write an 8 track library album in the tone of 'Serious Piano and Strings'.
Maria was one of two mentees chosen to take part in Core Music Agency's inaugural (2023) 'Female and BIPOC Mentorship Program', with agents/mentors Trish Klein, Ari Wise and composer Miriam Cutler, whom further developed Maria's administration and composing skills towards independent documentaries, Hallmark, and Lifestyle channels. This led to landing a feature independent documentary for CBC Television, due to start scoring in the spring of 2024.
During school, she was invited onto the VIFF AMP Talent Accelerator 2020 cohort, curated by Tony Scudellari, Senior VP of Television Music at Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Rob Calder of Secret Study and Vaudeville Canada. Maria also gained placement, through a blind application process, onto The Screen Composers Guild Of Canada’s Annual Mentorship Program 2021, and was paired with multi Leo Awarded composer Graeme Coleman.
Previous to schooling, the first remix Maria attempted and entered into a contest, ‘Maria Lui December Remix’, gained a spot on Collide’s remix album 'Mind and Matter' (2018). The previous year, she provided the title track, and co-composed an original score with platinum and Juno awarded producers and musicians, Ken 'hiwatt' Marshall and Jeremy Breaks, which received a Best Score nomination at The Pitch to Screen Film Awards, for multi award winning independent film, 'The Doctor's Case' (2018), written by Stephen King and adapted for screen by James Douglas. Maria also contributed vocals and instrumentation to an electronic band’s debut release ‘Black Line’ (2018); and released her own three track instrumental EP ‘Emergence’ (2018).
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 is a member of the Alliance for Women Film Composers, The Screen Composers Guild of Canada, and The Canadian Federation of Musicians. She 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.
