Meet Steve Chieh-Wei Chiu | Composer, Violinist, Erhu Player, Music Educator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Steve Chieh-Wei Chiu and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Steve Chieh-Wei, what do you think makes you most happy? Why?
Couple things makes me happy in my life so far.

1. Music
Music is my life. I really can’t imagine what’s gonna happen if there is no music in my life.
Music is also my job, I am lucky that I get to do what I love for living. Always having that passion for music.
It makes me happier, smarter, and healthier too.

2. People
communication, learning, sharing, helping, supporting, working with people makes me happy.
Especially in LA, you get the chance to meet up the diversity community/people. It’s something I feel so blessed.

3. Good Foods
Good foods like great energy to me. It can calm me and also satisfy my body. Again, LA has such a diversity food choices. It truly makes me really happy.

4. Theme Parks and Ocean Side
Those locations are the places whenever I feel down or upset. I would love to go to. It’s kind of my mind and whole spirits gets heal and promote. It brings back the positive energy back to me and also provide the happiness thoughts to me.

5. My fish tank with beautiful tropical fish
I can literally sit in front of my fish tank and watching them for an hour. Don’t know why it feels peaceful, calm while just watching them. Also listen to the water sound. It’s my “Zen”. That’s probably also why I like to go the ocean to listen to the water and wind sounds.

6.Video games and Movies
It just satisfy by playing and watching it. 🙂

Music and Sounds truly became a big influences and my soul to me. I am really sensitive to both and that’s why it can always makes me happy if I hear something touch my heart deeply. It’s not just something you are listening to everyday, now it’s something in me.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Music industry is definitely not an easy industry to work with. But it’s also a creative, every-day-isn’t-the-same industry to work with. It has so much fun, possibilities and potential inside. That’s the reason I love so much what I do.

What sets me apart from others?
I think it’s the attitude and all the helps/services that I can provide to whoever I am working with. I always tell myself, if it’s something you can do and help to make it better, then just do it. If you choose to do it, then do it 100% or even more.

Thinking on the clients side, like what they need or all the details/answers for solutions is part of my important working skills. It’s not only for the people you are working with, but also can makes the projects go smooth and finish it on the right way.

Music industry is one of the fast industry. Everything happens all really quick and ends quick too.
So I need to be ready and prepared for it all the time. You never knows what’s next pop-up on your calendar. You just need to have the skills and availability to do it, and DO IT RIGHT.

Always thinking and preparing more to everything in life, once the chance comes, I am ready.

But also very important never lose your personal value to the community. I believe what you can bring to the community, the community will gently give you back.
Don’t over booking yourself is one thing I always keep in mind. Sometimes you just have to say NO.

In my works, I have many different characters all related to music. Composer, Violinist, Erhu Player, Music Educator, Music director, and more……… Not trying to say how good I am, but trying to say these are just some titles to me related to music. No matter what these put it on me, only one important thing is always DO THE WORKs RIGHT.

Everything is challenges in music industry for sure, but how to get through and reach the goal is more I concern. It’s not gonna be easy, but it’s also will be easy if I hit the right targets.

Get through the process of the works is one thing I like a lot. You get to work with people, bad thing good thing happens, and finally we all reach that final line. It’s an amazing thing to experience this journey. You aren’t just alone in music. You share with people with love.

I learned it in this industry, don’t just do everything by yourself, sometimes you just need to seeking for helps and support. It’s a type of work to me, not just by yourself. You cooperate with people, you help each other. Don’t be selfish.

(Hope that would answer this one, sorry for my English writing)

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
There are many favorite spots in Los Angeles that I would love to show you.

If it’s for a week long trip, I would do the itinerary like this:

Hollywood/Santa Monica

LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art)

The Getty and the Getty Villa

Disney and Universal Studios

Palos Verdes Estates Shoreline Preserve.

Drive on CA-1 with no plans just enjoy the ocean side

Eat Korean BBQ, and all the great Asian foods.

Experience/attend the local events, such as farmers market. and more ……..

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to dedicate couple people who influenced, supporting me much in this journey.

1. My parents

Without you, everything is impossible. Thanks to their selfless supports to this silly boy who always dreaming something big. The music journey isn’t easy without them. I love you both so much.

2. O theatre Art Director – Alfred Chen (Taiwan)

Thanks for always giving me the freedom to create the music that I want. It’s hard to having someone that trust you that much. No matter what you do, they support and share. Alfred is that one particular person to me.

3. Shih-Fen Wei

Miss Wei is my high school teacher who brought more knowledge of music to me. She not only opens up my mind that music can be anything, but also told me about how to be myself. She is my Superwomen. Without her, there is no Steve today.

4. Jai Kimo White

My hubby is always being my inspiration. When I am down and out, he has lifted me up to see blue skies. I hope I can always do the same for him. Thank you for always being there for me when I need you. You are an amazing person and I love you.

Website: https://www.stevechiehweichiu.com

Instagram: @stevec720

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/steve.c.chiu.9

Image Credits
Professional looks image credits by Tomorrow MingTian