“My Role Is to Uncover the Intent Behind Each Note”: Conductor Jiajing Lai in Conversation with Khadas

Jiajing Lai, second prize winner of La Maestra 2026, shares her approach to conducting and her listening setup.

At the La Maestra International Competition for Women Conductors 2026, Jiajing Lai was awarded Second Prize, winning over both jury and audience in the final with Stravinsky’s Petrushka (Part I) and Ravel’s Rapsodie espagnole. She currently serves as Assistant Conductor of the China NCPA Orchestra and Pre-College Faculty at The Tianjin Juilliard School, and is regarded as one of China’s most promising young conductors.  

Khadas has provided the Tea Pro DAC/amp for the competitors in the La Maestra 2026 — helping them refine their craft with a professional-grade listening tool.

In Paris, we spoke with Jiajing Lai about the competition, her approach to conducting, and her listening setup.  

Kara Wu (Khadas) : What motivated you to apply for La Maestra? 

Jiajing Lai: What attracted me most was the chance to conduct two orchestras (Note: Paris Mozart Orchestra and the Orchestre de Paris) in the final round. Opportunities like that are incredibly rare. That, more than anything, was my reason for applying. Winning a prize would simply be a bonus.  

Kara: How would you describe the role of a conductor? What does conducting involve for you?  

Jiajing: Composers pour their heart into the score. And my role is to uncover the intent behind each note, and bring it to life with the orchestra. I wouldn’t use the word “lead,” because for me, conducting is a dialogue. I give a gesture, and the orchestra responds, and then it is my turn to respond. It becomes an ongoing exchange — a circulation of energy, a kind of spiritual communication. It’s not about imposing my idea. It’s about connecting with the composer, and then connecting with different orchestras and musicians, even when we speak different languages. I find that process incredibly charming.  

Kara: I’ve always thought of symphonic music as very structured — something that relies on constant rehearsal and fine-tuning, almost the opposite of free jazz. But I’m curious, is there still room for spontaneity in performance?  

Jiajing: When musicians come together in a shared pulse and sound unified, it feels perfect, doesn’t it? But in a performance, we try to go beyond that structure. The most beautiful moments happen when musicians find freedom within the structure.  

During the final round, there were extended solos for English horn and clarinet in Ravel’s Rapsodie espagnole. I simply let the soloists take over, and my role was to support them and help them bring out what they were feeling in that instant.  

Kara: During rehearsals, besides giving directions on dynamics and tempo, you used very evocative language for instructing — like asking a section to “blend in” instead of “add on,” or encouraging the violins to “sing”. These instructions have also helped me, as a listener, appreciate the music. I wonder, for listeners who are not familiar with music theory, is it possible to engage with classical music through their own intuition and imagination?  

Jiajing: I think that classical music is open to everyone. Whatever you hear, whatever you feel — that’s what you’re supposed to feel in that moment. For example, when people listen to strings, they often say it feels like listening to humans sing. And then there are those who relate music to painting. Experiencing music this way is completely valid — it’s no less meaningful than understanding it through theory. 

For me, symphonic music is like a kind of ultimate order created by the Creator. And that’s why many music lovers, once they begin to appreciate classical music, will stay with it for a long time. It nourishes our soul and even inspires intelligence. It has so many layers and dimensions. Classical music has a kind of transcendent power, as if the souls from hundreds of years ago — like Beethoven’s — are speaking to you. 

Kara: When you study scores or prepare for rehearsals, what kind of listening setup do you typically use? Would you use Khadas Tea Pro DAC/amp?  

Jiajing: When I study scores, I listen to many recordings as references. I use good over-ear headphones, because I want to hear more depth and dimension — to imagine what I would hear in rehearsal or performance. Tea Pro enhances that sense of space and brings me closer to the soundstage I’m looking for.  

Kara: What difference does Khadas Tea Pro make to the sound? 

Jiajing: What surprised me most was its ability to reveal layers. When I listened to Bruckner’s Fifth Symphony, I felt immersed in it — almost as if I were standing on the podium. The sound didn’t just come at me; it surrounded me, almost like a basin-shaped space wrapping around me. It’s impressive that such a small device can give you that feeling of listening to high-end speakers at home.

Photos by Emilie Hautier, Pauline Ballet & the Khadas Team