Robert Ho-Kau Lau

Robert Ho-Kau Lau, 88, passed away following a courageous battle with brain tumor at Magnolia Senior Living in Sugar Hill, Georgia, on the 27th of June 2025.

Robert was born to Dr. Zhong-Hui Lau and Dr. Duen-Hou Yang in Chaozhou, Guangdong, China in 1937. He was the sixth of seven children. As a teenager, Robert was inspired to learn violin after having been mesmerized by a piece of classical music he had heard on the radio. After high school, he gained admission to Wuhan Conservatory of Music but was not allowed to continue his studies for political reasons. He then took the university entrance exams and gained admission to Peking University. He attended Peking University from 1956-1962, completing a six-year degree in Biology while continuing to play violin as the concertmaster of the Peking University Orchestra. During his first term, he met Angie Cheng, a classmate in the Biology Department. After graduating from university, Angie and Robert both worked as research scientists at the Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology, Academia Sinica (The Chinese Academy of Sciences). They were married in 1963 in Shanghai and welcomed a son and a daughter a few years later.

Robert was a successful young scientist, who travelled around China to contribute to the central five-year plan as well as advise farmers on agricultural improvements. At the same time, he continued to play violin and even gave informal lessons to a few neighbors. After enduring numerous challenges and hardships during China’s political upheaval of the 1960s and ’70s, Robert moved to Hong Kong, where his mother had been living, in 1976. He was separated from his wife and children for two years until they were allowed to join him in 1978. In Hong Kong, Robert pursued music as a profession for the first time, as he was unable to continue his career in science. He joined the newly formed Pan Asia Symphony Orchestra as a violinist and started teaching violin students formally. He also engraved music for publication at the Baptist Press. He later joined the Hong Kong Government’s Music Office, where he worked to promote musical education and cultural events.

In 1980 the family immigrated to the United States, settling in Orange County, California. In the early 1980s Robert continued his work as a music engraver for a publisher in Los Angeles. At the same time, he started teaching violin at Chinese schools, where he organized his first student string orchestras. From then on, he taught generations of violin students and gained a reputation as an inspiring, innovative, and demanding teacher. In 1989 he became a Board member of Southwestern Youth Music Festival (SYMF), an annual competition that attracts more than 3,000 young musicians each summer, and subsequently served as Vice President of SYMF.

In 1990 he founded the independent, non-profit Community Youth Orchestra of Southern California (CYOSC) and served as CYOSC’s President and Music Director from 1990 to 2005. He inspired generations of students in their musical and personal development, while providing them with the opportunity to perform Chinese cultural music as well as western classical music, both of which he had arranged and orchestrated. During his tenure, CYOSC hosted various artist residencies and ensembles. In addition, Robert led CYOSC on several concert tours to China and Taiwan.

After retiring from CYOSC, Robert continued to teach violin. More recently, he formed student orchestras in Oregon and Georgia, introducing Chinese music, which he had rearranged, to a new generation of music students. Even after the diagnosis of his brain tumor last year, he continued to teach and conducted his last concert in May 2024, aged 87.

In addition to his passion for music, Robert loved gardening. When he wasn’t practicing violin, teaching, rehearsing, conducting, or arranging music, he could be found in the garden tending his fruit trees, flowers, and vegetables with great care. Though he had been unable to continue his scientific research after emigrating from China, he put his knowledge as a plant physiologist to good use. His family and friends have benefitted over the years from the delicious fruits of his labor and beautiful flowers.

Robert and his late wife Angie were always generous to their extended family, friends, and strangers alike. They helped many in need throughout their lives and often welcomed newcomers and visitors to their home. Moreover, Robert devoted himself to his family, particularly to providing his children with a stable home despite the challenges of having to acclimatize to the cultural and language differences in his adopted country. His disciplined approach to work and life provided an indelible example that enabled his children to thrive and grow into confident and compassionate adults.

Robert is survived by his son David (Margaret Connerty) Lau, his daughter Susan (John) von Wentzel; grandchildren Maximillian and Clare Lau, Sophie and Matthew von Wentzel; two sisters, numerous nephews and nieces, and extended family. He was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, friend, and teacher. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in memory of Robert Lau to the Southwestern Youth Music Festival (https://form.jotform.com/90850892093969) or the American Brain Tumor Association (https://give.abta.org/give/474321/#!/donation/checkout). Many thanks.

The service can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/user/ingramfuneralhome/live