William Lai

Instrument

Viola

When did you start playing your instrument?

I started on violin at age 10 and then switched to viola in high school and never looked back.

What do you do when you’re not playing in the LSO?

By day I am a biomedical engineer and bad golfer, and by night I am a budget gastronomist and avid gamer.

When, or how, did you come to join the orchestra?

I joined the orchestra in 2009.

Do you come from a musical family?

Yes, both my parents are amateur musicians. My mom plays the piano and sings in a choir, and my dad plays several Chinese instruments and teaches the erhu.

Does the instrument you play on have a story?

I have been playing on the same instrument since high school. It is an American viola made in San Jose, CA, 1981 by Bob Miller, a retired engineer. My viola was his first sale and he attended my first solo performance.

Are you originally from Lansdowne/Philadelphia?

No, I grew up in Northern California.

Who is your favorite superhero?

Plastic Man.