Faculty & Staff

Yang Liu is the first prize winner of the 2021 International Artists Award Competition, China’s 5th National Competition, and prize winner of the 12th International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. The New York Times described his playing “a scorching performance”. His repertoire ranges from baroque to the most contemporary of works, and from western classical to eastern traditional

Yang Liu made his North American debut with the Atlanta Symphony orchestra, earning three nights of standing ovations for his performance of Paganini’s First Violin Concerto. This success was followed by performances with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra conducted by Robert Spano; Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra; Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra; Hagen Symphony Orchestra, Germany; and many others.

Recently with the Odense Symphony Orchestra, Denmark, under Maestro Christoph Eberle in a highly successful tour throughout China of which a Chinese newspaper commented: “…The Carl Nielsen concerto was soloed by Chinese violinist Yang Liu who gave an absolutely sensational performance which touched the deepest spot of our hearts… Such a musician has been rarely heard for the past ten years…”

He also completes a 5-city tour in China performing the Butterfly Concerto with Qingdao Symphony Orchestra, as part of the China-US cultural exchange initiated by Secretary of State of the US John Kerry, and chairman of the cultural department of China Mr. Luo .

Other recent engagements include concerto performances with the Orquesta Filarmonica de Bogota, Colombia performing Barber’s Violin Concerto under Maestro Amadio. Orchestras repeatedly engage him for his appealing musicality and persona. He has performed multiple times with Ospa State Orchestra in Brazil, Qingdao Symphony Orchestra in China, East Oregon Symphony Orchestra, Lake Forest Symphony Orchestra, and Highland Park Strings in the US. A highly sought-after guest artist and teacher, he performed and taught for many years in Roosevelt University, Columbia College of Music, VanderCook College of Music, Aspen Music Festival, Oficina Music Festival and Sesc Music Festival in Brazil, and the Great Wall Music Festival in China.