Franz Mantini Classical Music Series Performers

Mr. Mantini has maintained an active schedule of solo and chamber music performances in the Tampa Bay area and beyond for over thirty years. Mr. Mantini studied with renowned artist Jacques Abram at the University of South Florida where he appeared numerous times in solo recitals and as soloist with the USF Symphony Orchestra as winner of the annual Concerto Competition. His local credits include a combined thirty solo and chamber performances at what is now the Straz Center for the Performing Arts. He has collaborated with many current and former principal members of the Florida Orchestra as well as members of the Houston Symphony and Ehnes Quartet and has appeared in concerts with the Lafayette String Quartet and as a concerto soloist with various community orchestras. Mr. Mantini has been a regular at the Carrollwood Cultural Center since its inception, where he created the Strings in the Spring series, which has featured both local and international artists annually for over a decade. Guests have included former and current Florida Orchestra Concertmasters Amy Schwartz Moretti and Jeffrey Multer, former TFO Principal Cellist James Connors, Internationally acclaimed violist Che Yen Chen and many more. In addition to his musical endeavors, Mr. Mantini earned a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and a master’s degree in Engineering Management from the University of South Florida and currently works as an Electronic Hardware Design Engineer at GE Aerospace. He resides in Carrollwood with his wife Julie and is the proud father of two young men, Gabriel and Gianni.

Ms. Lu is a Conductor, Assistant Professor and Director of Orchestra at the University of Florida, and Music Director of the renowned Pierre Monteux School and Music Festival in Hancock, Maine, where she recently conducted the first performance of the Rite of Spring in the school’s history. Previous guest conducting appearances include the Cumberland Symphony Orchestra (Sewanee Summer Music Festival), NYSSMA 2024 All-State Symphonic Orchestra, Symphony New Hampshire, and Elgin Symphony Orchestra. From 2020-2022, Lu was Director of the Sewanee Symphony Orchestra and Assistant Professor of Orchestral Conducting at Sewanee University of the South. Prior to her current appointment, Lu served for five seasons as Associate Conductor of the Pierre Monteux Music Festival and two seasons as Interim Music Director. Over seven years, Lu developed a diverse portfolio of work in the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia areas and Delaware. She held the position of Assistant Conductor with the Prince Georges’ Philharmonic (MD) from ‘19-’22, was Music Director of the Wilmington Community Orchestra for five seasons, and also Assistant and then Associate Conductor with Washington, D.C.’s Capital City Symphony from ‘15-’22, creating groundbreaking and creative programming. She was also selected as Conducting Fellow for the Allentown Symphony in 2019 and 2020. Other positions have included Music Director of the University of Maryland Repertoire Orchestra, cover conductor and principal librarian at the 2016 and 2017 National Orchestral Institute, and conductor with the DC Youth Orchestra Program and Annapolis Symphony Academy. Lu has guest-conducted the Symphony New Hampshire as well as the Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra; and acted as cover conductor with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra, Symphony New Hampshire, Princeton Symphony Orchestra, Georgetown University Orchestra, and Cornell University Orchestra. Recently, she also served as lead producer on two recordings by the Virginia Symphony Orchestra as well as one with the Smithsonian Chamber Players.  Lu maintains an active performing profile as an orchestral violinist, chamber music collaborator, and private violin teacher. Her doctoral research focused on new models in the orchestral education of undergraduate string players. Her primary conducting mentors have included Michael Jinbo, Jim Ross, and Jeffery Meyer. Lu grew up in Tampa, FL and holds degrees from Princeton University, Ithaca College, and the University of Maryland.