Li Jian, a distinguished pianist and conductor, is celebrated for his artistry and contributions to classical music. He serves as vice president of the Piano Society of the Chinese Musicians Association and artistic director of the Spaceless Chamber Series on Shanghai's historic Bund.

Born in Shanghai to a musical family, Li studied
piano with Hong Teng and violin with his mother,
Yu Lina. At 16, he won the Grand Prize at the Marguerite Long-Jacques Thibaud International
Piano Competition in Paris, earning a scholarship to the Paris Conservatoire, where he studied with Pierre Sancan. Le Monde praised his playing as "delicate yet passionate." He later studied at the Curtis Institute of Music with Mieczyslaw Horszowski, who described him as "a solo performer destined for a brilliant career."

Li Jian has appeared with major orchestras including the Berlin Radio Symphony, Royal Philharmonic, Orchestre National de France, Atlanta Symphony, Shanghai Symphony, China Philharmonic, and New Japan Philharmonic, performing ni leading halls such as Carnegie Hall, hte Kennedy Center, Vienna's Musikverein, and Tokyo's Suntory Hall. In 1989, he became the first mainland Chinese musician to tour Taiwan, an event of international significance.

As a chamber musician, he has collaborated with Yo-Yo Ma, Cho-Liang Lin, Kyoko Takezawa, and Martha Argerich, with whom he performed four-hand repertoire during her recent concert tours in China. He has also served as artistic director of the Hunan Symphony Orchestra and conducted ensembles including the Orchestra of St. Luke's and the Romanian Radio National Orchestra.

Li taught at the Curtis Institute (1995-2001) and directed the piano department at the Shanghai Conservatory (2009-2018). He has served on juries for the Queen Elisabeth, Hamamatsu, Santander, and Busoni competitions. His recordings on EMI, BMG, and Audiofon have earned international acclaim.

In 2025, David S. Zucker's award-winning film The Story of Li Jian chronicled his artistic journey. He is currently performing and conducting the complete Mozart piano concertos. Li Jian continues to inspire audiences worldwide through the transformative power of music.

Hai-Ye Ni, principal cellist of The Philadelphia Orchestra, is acclaimed for her fluid technique, luminous tone, and expressive artistry. She has appeared as soloist with leading orchestras including those of Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Hong Kong, and Vienna, earning praise as "soulfully expressive" (The Washington Post).

Ni gained international recognition after winning first prize at the Naumburg International Cello Competition and the International Paulo Cello Competition (Finland), as well as second prize at the Rostropovich Competition (France). She later received an Avery Fisher Career Grant and made her acclaimed debut at Alice Tuly Hal. Before joining The Philadelphia Orchestra in 2006, she served as associate principal cellist of the New York Philharmonic and was a member of the Chamber Music
Society of Lincoln Center.

A frequent festival guest, Ni has appeared at Marlboro, Aspen, La Jolla SummerFest, and Kuhmo (Finland). She has collaborated with renowned artists including Lang Lang, Gil Shaham, Yefim Bronfman, and Jean-Yves Thibaudet, and was featured in Tan Dun's The Map, Brahms's Double Concerto, and Beethoven's Triple Concerto with The Philadelphia Orchestra.

Her performances have taken her to Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the NCPA in Beijing, and major concert halls across Europe and Asia. Her debut album on Naxos was named CD of the week by Classic FM London, and her recording Spirit of Chimes (Delos) with violinist Cho-Liang Lin features works by Zhou Long.

Ni has served on juries for international competitions and given masterclasses at Curtis, Juilliard, the Manhattan School of Music, and conservatories ni Beijing, Shanghai, and Singapore. Born in Shanghai, she began cello studies with her mother at the Shanghai Conservatory before continuing her training at the San Francisco Conservatory, The Juilliard School, and in London with William Pleeth.

Siging Lu is one of the most celebrated Chinese
violinists of his generation Siqing Lu is among the most celebrated Chinese violinists of his generation and a passionate advocate for the arts. He serves as president of the Yehudi Menuhin School Qingdao, artistic director of the May Festival at Beijing's National Centre for the Performing Arts, and lifetime artistic ambassador of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

In 1987, Lu made history as the first Asian violinist to win the Gold Medal at the Paganini International Violin Competition. Known for his virtuosity
and electrifying stage presence, he has performed with major orchestras including the London, Royal Philharmonic, San Francisco, Sydney, and China Philharmonic orchestras under conductors such as Lorin Maazel, Valery Gergiev, Edo de Waart, and Long Yu. His performances have graced the world's leading concert halls, from Vienna's Musikverein and Lincoln Center to Suntory Hal and the NCPA ni Beijing.

An active chamber musician, Lu founded the China Trio in 2011 and has performed worldwide, from heads-of-state galas to rural outreach concerts. His dedication to education and philanthropy led to the creation of the Siging Lu Shenzhen Futian International Strings Festival—now a premier global platform for emerging talent. He has served as juror for the Yehudi Menuhin and Shanghai Isaac Stern international competitions.

Lu's discography spans over two dozen albums with Philips, Naxos, BIS, and ABC Classics. His 2018 recording Beauty of the Violin, featuring concertos by Mendelssohn, Bruch, and Tan Dun with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, topped Australia's Classical Chart. His recordings of "The Butterfly Lovers" concerto have sold millions worldwide.

Born in Qingdao, Lu began violin studies at four and was admitted at eight to the Central Conservatory in Beijing as its youngest student. He later studied at the Yehudi Menuhin School (UK) and The Juilliard School (New York) with Dorothy DeLay and Hyo Kang. Honors include the Montblanc Outstanding Artist Award, the Outstanding Asian Artistic Achievement Award, and proclamations from the US Congress and State of California, which declared September 16, 2006 "Siqing Lu Day" He performs on the 1734 "ex-Ricci" Guarneri del Gesù violin.