Muen Wei, Piano

Biography

Pianist Muen Wei, a native of China, has performed internationally as a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral pianist, and jazz pianist. She has been applauded by critics for her “delicate playing” and “admirable virtuosic skills.”(The News-Gazette)  She has been guest soloist under the baton of Ian Hobson, Donald Schleicher, and Xiaoying Zheng. 

As a chamber musician, Ms. Wei has collaborated with musicians such as Lynn Harrell, Sam Fisher, Henry Gronnior, Ko Iwasaki and Stan Sharp, among others. Her recent performance of Rachmaninoff’s Cello Sonata in G Minor with world-renowned cellist Lynn Harrell received a standing ovation from the audience.

Ms. Wei’s musicianship has been recognized in many competitions, including the Seattle International Competition, International Music Competition Paris Grand Prize Virtuoso, the Artist Presentation Society Competition, Bradshaw and Buono International Piano Competition in New York, China Chopin Competition for Young Pianists in Beijing, the UI Symphony Concerto Competition and Sinfonia da Camera Concerto Competition. She was also the recipient of a University Fellowship from the University of Illinois in 2012, and the Montecito International Music Festival Fellowship from 2013-2015.

Ms. Wei received her Bachelor of Music Degree from the China Conservatory. In 2012, she received her Masters of Music Degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she received the Dr. Joseph and Bess Scharff Leven Prize in Piano. She earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, under the instruction of Ian Hobson. She has also performed in master classes for Sergei Babayan, Peter Donohoe, Dominique Merlet, John Perry, and Arie Vardi.