Mighty melody

When Lu approached Liu about the concert, Liu was hesitant because he keeps a low profile and rarely performs in public.

Veteran musician Liu in concert

Underground voices

"Although new faces pop up every day, people still remember his songs. It's meaningful to review those songs, which have left an impression during the past 30 years," Lu says.

Liu's concert, Our Days, will be held on Jan 1, 2013, at MasterCard Center in Beijing.

Having turned down many concert invitations during the past few years, Liu says he has been pushed to return to the spotlight in 2012.

Two of the most popular TV shows in China this year saw the involvement of the low-profile musician - he sang the theme song for the 76-episode TV series Legend of Zhen Huan, which has swept the mainland with its popularity, and reality TV show, The Voice of China, which had Liu as one of the judges and coaches.

"Initially, I was not sure about the concert. But I have made promises on The Voice of China, so I have to keep my word," Liu tells China Daily, laughing.

Liu keeps his concerts simple. He usually wears a round-neck black T-shirt and loose pants. He avoids having dancers and dazzling stage designs, which he says are distracting.

The only thing he cares about is the presentation of his music.

"I believe what the audiences want most is to listen to my songs during the concert," he says.

One of the anthems he will perform is Lu Lu, which he wrote 10 years ago and sang in public for the first time in 2004. It's a song for his wife, Lu Lu. They married nine days after they met in November 1987.

These days, Liu spends a lot of his time with his family in the United States.

He also teaches history of Western music at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing.

"Teaching at the university not only gives me a regular lifestyle but also enables me to observe the music industry from the outside.

"My parents are both teachers, and that's why I feel connected to the job. Personally, I like Western music, and I taught myself Western music history during my university years," he says.

He's a star in his students' eyes. But Liu says: "Once you sit in my class, you will have a different view. I am a teacher in the classroom, not a star. I am a very talkative person in class but onstage, I prefer to sing rather than talk."

Liu says his role as a teacher also broadens his musical perspective. "It's not conflicting to be a teacher and a singer-songwriter at the same time because I love music and both jobs lead me to it," he says.