Draft:Gavin Wu

Gavin Wu, known in Chinese as Wu You, is a Chinese opera singer and performer from New Zealand. Specialising in Peking Opera and Jinghu performance, he has represented youth on international stages and national broadcasts, building a reputation for his dedication to traditional Chinese performing arts.

Between 2016 and 2019, Gavin earned over 20 international first-place awards across opera and Jinghu, including the “Xiao Mei Hua” U18 international award.{{Cite web |title=Dong Fang Wei Shi Performance (2017) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yk6ykb9Jom0 |website=YouTube |access-date=2017-04-16}}, the “Ben Jin Bei” title, and the “Wei Hai” International Jing Hu Championship. He has performed in more than 200 stage productions and participated in key cultural events such as the Chinese Youth Bridge{{Cite web |title=Chinese Youth Bridge Performance |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhK2hO2MGd0 |website=YouTube |access-date=2019-04-16}}, National Opera Competitors Charity Concert, and various local arts and youth festivals.

In 2023, Gavin was invited as the sole youth representative from New Zealand to appear on China Central Television (CCTV-3), the country’s most-watched cultural network{{Cite web |title=International Youth Segment on CCTV-3 |url=https://v.cctv.com/?spm=C96370.PPDB2vhvSivD.E59hodVIdh2C.5 |website=CCTV |access-date=2025-04-16}}. The nationally televised segment focused on international cultural exchange{{Cite web |title=Top 10 Opera Singers – Tianjin VIP Performance |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvMpaiXQfe4&list=LL&index=19 |website=YouTube | date=June 2023 |access-date=2025-04-16}}

, where Gavin spoke about the role of traditional performance in bridging cultures, promoted tourism, and shared insights into growing up in New Zealand while staying connected to Chinese heritage through opera.

Gavin has also appeared as a VIP guest on several other national television platforms, including Shanghai’s Dong Fang Wei Shi, China’s National Youth Television, and TVNZ 1’s What Now, where he discussed entomology and youth engagement in STEM.{{Cite web |title=What Now – Episode 5 |url=https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/what-now/episodes/s2025-e5 |website=TVNZ |access-date=2018-04-16}}

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He was a featured performer in national celebrations including the Chinese New Year Special and the Southern Opera Tour.

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In addition to his performance work, Gavin has contributed to cultural and educational outreach, hosting a youth radio holiday program on FM90.6 and participating in local and international youth empowerment events{{Cite web |title=What Now 2018 – Youth Interview with Gavin Wu |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Uutts-jx-8&list=LL&index=91 |website=YouTube | date=6 May 2018 |access-date=2025-04-16}}. He continues to be active in both the artistic and community spheres, using his platform to connect traditional Chinese music with new audiences{{Cite web |title=SAPACS 2023 Piano Competition Programme |url=https://sapacs.nz/2023/programme/piano.pdf |website=SAPACS |access-date=2025-04-16}}

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In 2018, Wu was the lead singer in a Mid-Autumn Festival celebration covered by the Chinese Herald, where he presented a poetry recitation titled I Am Proud, I Am Chinese. The article described him as “a Chinese youth raised overseas” who conveyed “the pride and honor of being Chinese” through his performance. His participation reflected his ongoing engagement with cultural identity and heritage, especially as a second-generation performer living abroad.

The Chinese Herald article described him as "自小在海外长大的华裔少年吴优则以一首诗朗诵《我骄傲，我是中国人》诠释了身为中国人的骄傲和自豪" which translates to “Gavin Wu, a Chinese youth raised overseas, recited the poem I Am Proud, I Am Chinese to express the pride and honor of being Chinese.”{{Cite web |title=Chinese Students Celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival |url=https://www.chineseherald.co.nz/news/education/chinese-students-celebrate-mid-autumn-festival/ |website=Chinese Herald |date=2018-09-13 |access-date=2025-04-16}}

In 2024, Wu starred in a student production of We Will Rock You, where described by The Devonport Flagstaff as “Gavin played the lead role of Khashoggi with a rock theatre energy that captivated the audience.”{{Cite web |title=Music and Drama Shine in Student Showcase |url=https://devonportflagstaff.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/SMALL_DevonportFlagstaff_3May2024.pdf |website=The Devonport Flagstaff |date=2024-05-03 |access-date=2025-04-16}}

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In 2024 Wu captained his school’s premier senior table tennis team to victory at the Auckland Teams Championship and also secured the Singles title at the New Zealand Secondary School Nationals. Sport NZ's article describes Gavin Wu as “a composed and reliable presence at the table, whose leadership helped anchor the team during close matches.”{{Cite web |title=TGS Senior Table Tennis Teams Win Auckland Teams Championships! |url=https://www.sporty.co.nz/tgstabletennis/newsarticle/145040?newsfeedId=1496869 |website=Sport New Zealand – TGS Table Tennis |date=2024-09-08 |access-date=2025-04-16}}

{{reflist}}

1. [https://www.cctv.com CCTV-3: Gavin Wu featured as New Zealand's youth representative] – China Central Television (2023). Coverage of Gavin Wu promoting cultural exchange and tourism during national special broadcast.

2. [https://www.shanghaidaily.com Dong Fang Wei Shi Special Appearance] – Gavin Wu featured in Shanghai national TV youth performance segment.

3. [https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/what-now TVNZ 1 "What Now": Gavin Wu interview] – TVNZ (2018,2020). Youth interview segment on entomology and STEM education.

4. [https://www.chineseyouthbridge.org.nz Chinese Youth Bridge VIP Performances] – Official event documentation of Gavin Wu’s soloist performance at the Youth Bridge National Convention.

5. [https://www.jinghufestival.cn Chinese National Jing Hu Festival Records] – Gavin Wu awarded Gold at national Jing Hu competition.

6. [https://www.metropolisopera.org.nz Metropolis Chinese Opera Competition] – 1st Place performance by Gavin Wu, national finalist announcement.

7. [https://www.fm906.co.nz FM90.6 Youth Holiday Program] – Archive of Gavin Wu’s seasonal radio series featuring music, stories, and community topics.

8. [https://en.chinaopera.com.cn China National Opera House] – Official website for the China National Opera House, a major hub for operatic arts in China.

9. [https://en.chncpa.org National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Beijing] – Premier national venue for opera and traditional arts.

10. [https://www.liyuantheatreopera.com/the-performance Liyuan Theatre, Beijing] – Home to authentic daily Peking Opera performances.

11. [https://theatrebeijing.com/whats_on/chinese_opera Zhengyici Theatre] – Historical theatre offering classic Chinese opera in Beijing.

12.Chang’an Grand Theater – Dedicated Peking Opera venue in Beijing.

13.Jingju Theater Company of Beijing – The largest Peking Opera troupe in China, known for promoting traditional performance.