Yang Liu, Violin

Biography

Violinist Yang Liu is a former first prize winner of China's National Violin Competition and a prize winner of the Twelfth International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. Born in Tsingtao, China, Yang Liu made his concert debut at age 10 performing with the NHK Orchestra in Tokyo. Yang moved to the US in 1998, and continued his studies with Dorothy DeLay and Kurt Sassmannshaus at the College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati.

In 2002, Yang Liu made his North American debut with the Atlanta Symphony, performing Paganini's First Violin Concerto. This success was followed by performances with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra conducted by Robert Spano; the Hagen Symphony Orchestra, Germany; Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra; Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra; and the Oregon East Symphony. He is a featured performer in Starling's Emmy Award-winning educational video, Classical Quest. His debut recording, "Song of Nostalgia," was released to critical acclaim.

Since making Chicago his home in 2004, his recent activities have include performances at the Kennedy Center, Ravinia, Roosevelt University, Northeastern Illinois University, Musicorda Music Festival in Massachusetts, the International Music Festival in Brazil, Beijing Great Wall International Music Festival, with the Highland Park Strings and with Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra.

Mr. Liu currently plays Antonio Stradivari's "Lady Tennant" violin made in 1699 which is on generous loan from Stradivari Society and Bein and Fushi Rare Violins. Yang Liu serves on the faculty of the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University.