Christmas downtime with violinist Dennis Lau

His album, released last year, showcases his talent of merging classics, jazz and pop tunes that appeal to the masses.

Fri, Dec 24, 2010
The Star/Asia News Network

By Willy Wilson

This assignment, to interview young violinist Dennis Lau, sent chills down the spine of a colleague who is an aspiring singer. Surely, she isn't the only Malaysian who's in awe of Dennis Lau.

Dennis Lau's Christmas home Click on thumbnail to view

25-year-old Lau is a force to be reckoned with in the local music industry. His album, DiversiFy, released last year, showcases his talent of merging classics, jazz and pop tunes that appeal to the masses. Add this talent with good genes, business insight and ambition, and a star is born.

His burgeoning musical career aside, Lau currently heads Mosaic Music Entertainment, a company that provides various services related to event, and more recently Mosaic Movie Productions, which produced a short film in which Lau acted alongside Daphne Iking and Steve Yap. The film is a part of his recently launched limited edition album aptly titled DiversiFy Limited Edition.

There is no doubt that this young lad is every inch an entrepreneur - the profit Mosaic Music Entertainment makes has over the years been the financial source that funds his musical aspirations, namely his album. Unsurprisingly, Lau was listed as one of CIMB Prestige's 'Top 40 Under 40' personalities in 2009.

Lau, who read music at University College Sedaya International (UCSI) under the Newcastle Australian Music Degree Programme, is no stranger to the music education business either. His mother was a piano teacher, and having learnt piano since age 3, he started teaching music at age 18. Despite his success, Lau shows no sign of slowing down. In the spirit of the holiday season, however, he takes some downtime to sit down with StarProperty.my at his cosy home-cum-studio in Subang.

Christmas home

Christmas sees a juxtaposition of red, white and black in Lau's home.

In the living room, for instance, a splash of red is evident in the curtain, carpet and bean bag against a white wall.

The focal piece here is the black sofa, which is flanked by a coffee table on each side.

Tucked in the corner of the living room is a grand piano, a guitar and memorable knick-knacks from friends and family. Meanwhile, a few pieces of painting and photographs - all of which are meaningful for Lau - are hung on the walls.

Lau's clever play of colours, material and lighting has made what would otherwise be a cluttered mess into a chic, cosy and charming living area. Lau, indeed, understands the power of soft furnishing in transforming the mood of a space.

"I purposely decorate this Christmas, as requested," says Lau as he welcomes StarProperty.my to his 1,650sq ft house, which is located in a gated residential area in Subang.

He apologises for not putting up a 'proper' Christmas tree, but quickly adds that he had bought mini, ready-made ones.

"I would have put up the Christmas tree at the house entrance, but I didn't have the time to do it. What you're looking at here is rather basic and practical interpretation of Christmas," Lau quips.

But he's just being modest, for it certainly takes imaginative eyes and a thoughtful mind to create the kind of Christmas atmosphere present in his house. And he did it all in just two weeks.

A man of vision

"The thing about me is that I am the kind of person who knows precisely what I want," he says, rather confidently. "So when it comes to decorating home, which I always do every now and then, it was never a time-consuming process."

Lau insists that one must first know the mood one wants to create in a house before buying new furniture and decorating pieces.

Lau is clearly a man of vision - he wouldn't be where he is now if he wasn't. His ability to know what he wants perhaps stem from his desire to be a successful musician.

He shares that his vision since he first started working has been intact, which is to make a living out of his passion. But he resents the idea of being an ordinary musician. With that in mind, he decided to build Mosaic Music Entertainment four years ago, as he was establishing himself as a solo performer.

With Mosaic Music Entertainment, he offers solo performances and a range of production-related services required by his clients to throw an event. As it turned out, Mosaic Music Entertainment soon became a leading corporate event and wedding entertainment ensemble as well as a platform for a pool of musical talents to perform at various functions.

"My business sense only came when I started working, as I was trying to find ways to expand my career. With Mosaic Music Entertainment, I could make more money while at the same time establish my music career," he enthuses.

It didn't take long until Mosaic Music Entertainment had enough funds to produce Lau's first album.

Savvy investor

His diligence has also enabled him to buy his first property at Desa ParkCity. According to Dennis, the profit that he made from this investment really got the ball rolling.

"I soon invested in Casa Tropicana and later on, Bandar Kinrara. I bought the latter for RM320,000 (S$133,000). I actually wanted to live in Bandar Kinrara, as I find the area convenient and peaceful. But a year later, the price appreciated to RM435,000 and I sold it," he says.

He currently lives in a home-cum-studio, where he and his parents once occupied. He has turned this two-storey, four-bedroom house into a creative nest since his parents moved to Bukit Jelutong.

When asked where he sees himself in the next five years, Lau says that he doesn't usually plan that far, quoting his favourite bible verse (Matthew 6:34), "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself".

But he is quick to add that he would like to own a house in Sri Hartamas, and a double-storey building alongside Bangsar's Maarof area, where he plans to run a cafe on the first floor and a music school for kids on the second floor. We wish him all the best.