Yang & Olivia Biography

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    Winners of the 2023 American Prize, the 2022 Medici International Competition, the 2021 International Artist Award, and the 2020 Silver Medal at the Global Music Awards, Yang and Olivia are a dynamic violin-piano duo celebrated for their powerful storytelling and global musical vision. Their performances blend classical and contemporary works from around the world, creating unforgettable concert experiences that transcend cultural boundaries.

    The duo has performed extensively across the United States as featured recitalists for concert associations, and internationally at major venues and festivals including the Ravinia Festival, Kennedy Center, SESC Music Festival (Brazil), Algarve Music Festival (Portugal), and throughout China.

    Violinist Yang Liu, a prizewinner of the 12th International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, is also the first prize winner of the 2023 American Prize in String Performance, the 2022 Medici International Competition, the 2021 International Artists Award, and China’s 5th National Competition. Pianist Olivia Tsai is a respected pedagogue and scholar, frequently presenting at national conferences such as MTNA, CMS, NCKP, and GP3, with a focus on music of Chinese and Taiwanese heritage.

    Together, Yang and Olivia founded the Yang and Olivia Arts Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to advocating diversity, equity, and inclusion through music. Their recent programming highlights contemporary works by Taiwanese women composers, Brazilian composers, and young American composers, while their outreach initiatives reach schools, senior homes, and libraries. Themed programs such as Red Music, 5000-Mile Journey, and Lost in Diversity explore music shaped by cultural migration, identity, and resilience.

    Their innovative spirit has led to interdisciplinary performances that blend music with live painting by the famed Zhou Brothers and poetry recitation by celebrated Chinese poet Bei Dao. Their work has been recognized with support from the National Endowment for the Arts, Mid-Atlantic Arts, and the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

    Yang and Olivia’s story began at the University of Cincinnati, where a last-minute request for a page-turner brought them together. Yang, then a sought-after violin prodigy, and Olivia, an accomplished pianist and scholar, have been life and music partners ever since—devoted to sharing their message of faith, love, and joy through the universal language of music.


    Yang Liu Bio

    Yang Liu is a dynamic and internationally acclaimed violinist, bringing his passion for music to audiences across North America, South America, Asia, and beyond. He performs as a soloist with many of the world’s leading orchestras and shares the stage with his wife Olivia as the beloved duo Yang and Olivia, presenting heartfelt programs across the United States and Asia that reflect their love, joy, and faith.

    A prizewinner of the Twelfth International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, Mr. Liu is also the 2023 American Prize winner in String Performance, as well as a first-prize winner of the 2022 Medici International Competition, the 2021 International Artists Award, and China’s 5th National Violin Competition. He made his North American debut with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra performing Paganini’s Violin Concerto No. 1, and has since appeared with the St. Louis Symphony (Robert Spano, conductor), Cincinnati Symphony, Odense Symphony (Denmark), São Paulo Symphony (Brazil), and others.

    In the Chicago area, Mr. Liu has performed with Ars Viva, Lake Forest Symphony, Highland Park Strings, North Park Symphony, and Oak Park Symphony. As part of a U.S.–China cultural exchange initiated by Secretary of State John Kerry and China’s Cultural Department Chairman Mr. Luo, he toured five cities in China performing the Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto with the Qingdao Symphony Orchestra. Over the course of his career, he has performed in more than 40 countries.

    Yang Liu is a passionate advocate for cultural diversity, equity, and inclusion through classical music. He is the founder of both the Yang and Olivia Foundation and Momento Virtuosi, a chamber ensemble of diverse ethnicity and instrumentation.

    His artistic journey was featured in the documentary String of Heart – Yang Liu, aired nationwide on CCTV China, and further chronicled in his autobiography, Performing in Love (2014). He has performed on China’s most prestigious New Year’s TV special, reaching tens of millions, and was a featured performer in the Emmy Award-winning video Classical Quest. His debut album, Song of Nostalgia, has been widely praised and regularly broadcast on National Public Radio (NPR) in the U.S.

    Mr. Liu regularly performs and teaches at the Great Wall Music Academy, Aspen Music Festival, Ravinia Festival, SESC Music Festival (Brazil), and is a frequent guest on Chicago’s WFMT. He also gives masterclasses at top conservatories and universities around the world.

    Born in China, Yang Liu studied with Lin Yaoji in Beijing before moving to the U.S. in 1998 to study with Kurt Sassmannshaus and Dorothy DeLay. He performs on a 1741 Guarneri violin, generously loaned by the Stradivari Society.

    Mr. Liu resides in Chicago with his wife Olivia and their two sons.


     

    Olivai Tsai Bio

    Dr. Olivia I-Hsuan Tsai is an Associate Professor of Piano at VanderCook College of Music. An advocate for cultural diversity in music, she is a frequent presenter at major national conferences, including the College Music Society (CMS), Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy (NCKP), and the Illinois State Music Teachers Association (ISMTA), where she regularly features music influenced by a wide range of global traditions. Her scholarly work includes the publication of her book Schubert’s Piano Trios (Scholar’s Press, Germany, 2014). In 2017, she was appointed Guest Professor at Lanzhou Northwestern University in China and has given lecture-recitals and masterclasses at institutions across the U.S., including Roosevelt University, Northeastern Illinois University, Coastal Carolina University (NC), and the University of Nebraska at Kearney. As a performer, Dr. Tsai has appeared as a soloist with the Qingdao Concert Hall Orchestra (China), Southern Illinois Symphony Orchestra, and Highland Park Strings. She has served as staff pianist for the prestigious Aspen Music Festival and Musicorda Festival, and has been invited as artist faculty and performer at international festivals such as the Oficina Music Festival and Curitiba Music Festival (Brazil), and the Algarve Music Festival (Portugal). In 2018, she co-founded the Yang and Olivia Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to promoting music of diverse cultural influences. The foundation’s work has been recognized through grants and honors from institutions such as the National Endowment for the Arts and Western Arts Alliance. Originally from Taiwan, Dr. Tsai came to the United States in 1993 as both a pianist and bassoonist. She earned her Bachelor of Music with high scholastic honors in 1996 and completed dual Master of Music degrees in Piano and Bassoon at Indiana University, Bloomington in 1999 as an Emma E. Claus Scholarship recipient. She later earned her Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in Piano Performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), supported by a graduate scholarship, and served on the faculty of CCM’s Preparatory Department. During her student years, Dr. Tsai was the winner of several competitions, including the Buckeye Piano Competition, the Graves Piano Competition in the U.S., and the Young Artist Series in Taiwan. Her multifaceted career as performer, educator, and scholar continues to inspire and influence audiences and students around the world.

    璇揚二重奏（长版） 

    璇揚二重奏是一个充满活力的小提琴与钢琴二重奏组合，荣获2023年美国大奖赛 (American Prize)、2022年梅第奇(Medici) 国际比赛、2021年国际艺术家大奖 (International Artist Award)，以及2020年全球音乐大奖银奖 (Global Music Award)。他们以强烈的音乐叙事力与全球化的音乐视野而闻名。其演出融合世界各地的古典与当代作品，带来跨越文化界限、令人难忘的音乐会体验。 

    该二重奏组合曾在美国各大演出协会中担任独奏会嘉宾，并在国际重要场馆与音乐节中登台，包括拉维尼亚音乐节、美国肯尼迪中心、巴西SESC音乐节、葡萄牙阿尔加维音乐节，以及中国各地的重要舞台。 

    小提琴家劉揚曾在莫斯科第十二届柴可夫斯基国际小提琴比赛中获奖，同时也是2023年美国弦乐大奖赛、2022年梅第奇国际比赛、2021年国际艺术家大奖及中国第五届全国小提琴比赛的一等奖得主。钢琴家蔡宜璇（Olivia Tsai）是一位受人尊敬的教育家与学者，常在美国全国性会议如MTNA、CMS、NCKP和GP3发表演讲，特别关注中国与台湾現代音乐的研究与推广。 

    璇揚二重奏共同创立了“璇揚艺术基金会”，这一非营利机构致力于通过音乐倡导多元化、公平与包容。他们近年来的节目策划，突出了台湾女性作曲家、巴西作曲家以及美国青年作曲家的当代作品；同时，他们的音乐推广项目也深入学校、养老院与图书馆。主题系列音乐会如《探索灵魂》《五千里之旅》《迷失于多元》中，探讨了由文化迁徙、身份与坚韧所塑造的音乐。 

    他们的创新精神也带来了跨界艺术的表演形式，例如与著名的周氏兄弟合作现场绘画，以及与中国当代著名诗人北岛的诗歌朗诵相结合。他们的成績获得了美国国家艺术基金会、中大西洋艺术基金会以及伊利诺伊艺术委员会的资助与支持。 

    璇揚的故事始于辛辛那提大学，当时一次临时的翻譜请求让他们相识。彼时，劉揚是一位炙手可热的小提琴新秀，而蔡宜璇则是成就斐然的钢琴家与学者。从那以后，他们便成为生活与音乐上的伴侣，始终致力于通过音乐这一世界语言，分享他们关于盼望、爱与喜乐的讯息。 

    璇揚二重奏（短版） 

    荣获2020年全球音乐大奖银奖的璇揚二重奏，是一个充满活力的小提琴–钢琴组合。他们以引人入胜、充满故事性的表演而广受赞誉，巧妙融合世界各地的古典与当代作品。 

    小提琴家劉揚是莫斯科第十二届柴可夫斯基国际小提琴比赛的获奖者，并先后荣获2023年美国弦乐大奖赛、2022年梅第奇国际比赛、2021年国际艺术家大奖赛以及中国第五届全国小提琴比赛的一等奖。 

    钢琴家蔡宜璇则是美国与国际大型音乐会议（如MTNA、CMS等）的常客讲者，致力于推广具有多元文化影响的当代音乐，尤其关注弱势与少数群体的音乐创作。 

    近年来，璇揚二重奏巡演足迹遍及全美30多个城市，并在中国、葡萄牙、巴西与台湾举办过音乐会和大师班。 

    作为“璇揚艺术基金会”的创办人，他们通过演出倡导多元化、公平与包容，着重呈现来自不同文化传统的音乐。他们的工作也获得了美国国家艺术基金会、中大西洋艺术基金会以及伊利诺伊艺术委员会等机构的支持与肯定。 

    劉揚（长版） 

    劉揚是一位充满活力、享誉国际的小提琴家，他以对音乐的热情感动了遍布北美、南美、亚洲及世界各地的观众。他既以独奏家的身份与世界著名乐团合作演出，也与妻子蔡宜璇组成“璇揚二重奏”，在美国与亚洲广泛巡演，通过真挚的音乐节目传递他们关于爱、喜乐与希望的讯息。 

    作为莫斯科第十二届柴可夫斯基国际小提琴比赛的获奖者，劉揚还先后荣获2023年美国弦乐大奖赛冠军、2022年梅第奇国际比赛冠军、2021年国际艺术家大奖，以及中国第五届全国小提琴比赛一等奖。他在北美的首演是与亚特兰大交响乐团合作演绎帕格尼尼《第一小提琴协奏曲》，此后与圣路易斯交响乐团（罗伯特·斯帕诺指挥）、辛辛那提交响乐团、丹麦欧登塞交响乐团、巴西圣保罗交响乐团等合作演出。 

    在芝加哥地区，他曾与Ars Viva、Lake Forest 交响乐团、Highland Park Strings、North Park交响乐团以及Oak Park交响乐团合作。作为由美国国务卿约翰·克里与中国文化部部长雒树刚发起的中美文化交流项目的一部分，他曾与青岛交响乐团合作，在中国五个城市巡演《梁祝小提琴协奏曲》。在其职业生涯中，劉揚的足迹已遍及40多个国家。 

    劉揚热衷于通过古典音乐倡导文化多元、公平与包容。他创立了“璇揚艺术基金会”和“Momento Virtuosi”室内乐团，该乐团以多元族裔与多样化的乐器编制为特色。 

    他的艺术之路被中央电视台的全国性纪录片《人物——小提琴家劉揚》所记录，并在传记《心弦》（2014年）中详细讲述。他曾登上中国最具影响力的央视新年晚会，演出覆盖数以千万计的观众，并在荣获艾美奖的纪录片《Classical Quest》中亮相。他的首张专辑《思乡曲》广受好评，并长期在美国国家公共广播电台（NPR）播出。 

    劉揚经常在长城国际音乐学院、阿斯本音乐节、拉维尼亚音乐节、巴西SESC音乐节等地演出和任教，并常作为嘉宾出现在芝加哥古典音乐电台WFMT。他还应邀在世界各大音乐学院和大学开设大师班。 

    劉揚出生于中国，师从林耀基教授，1998年赴美留学，师从Kurt Sassmannshaus 与Dorothy DeLay。他目前演奏的是1741年瓜奈里小提琴，由斯特拉迪瓦里协会慷慨提供。 

    劉揚与妻子蔡宜璇及他们的两个儿子定居于芝加哥。 


    劉揚（短版） 

    《纽约时报》称赞他的演奏是“一场炽热的表演！”，《华盛顿邮报》赞誉他是“来自中国的璀璨才华！” 小提琴家劉揚是一位享誉国际的艺术家，他的演出生涯已遍及40多个国家。作为莫斯科第十二届柴可夫斯基国际小提琴比赛的获奖者，他还先后荣获2023年美国弦乐大奖赛、2022年梅第奇国际比赛、2021年国际艺术家大奖，以及中国第五届全国小提琴比赛的一等奖。 

    作为独奏家，他曾与世界顶尖乐团合作演出，包括辛辛那提交响乐团、亚特兰大交响乐团、圣路易斯交响乐团以及丹麦皇家欧登塞爱乐乐团等。他的获奖专辑《思乡曲》充分展现了其非凡的技巧与深厚的音乐感染力。其曲目涵盖从巴洛克经典到当代委约作品，以及西方古典音乐与东方传统音乐。 

    作为热衷于通过音乐推动文化交流与包容的艺术家，劉揚创立了“璇揚艺术基金会”和“Momento Virtuosi”室内乐团，该乐团以族裔与乐器编制的多元化而著称。 

    劉揚出生于中国青岛，曾在北京中央音乐学院师从林耀基教授，后赴美国辛辛那提音乐学院深造，师从Kurt Sassmannshaus 与Dorothy DeLay。2014年，他通过“杰出人才移民计划”移民美国。 

    蔡宜璇（长版） 

    蔡宜璇博士现任芝加哥范德库克音乐学院钢琴副教授。作为多元文化音乐的积极倡导者，她经常受邀在全美重要学术会议发表演讲，包括美国大学音乐学会（CMS）、美国音乐教师协会（MTNA）、全国钢琴教学大会（NCKP）、以及伊利诺伊州音乐教师协会（ISMTA）等。她的研究与演讲内容常聚焦于具有广泛全球传统影响的音乐作品。 

    她的学术成果包括专著《舒伯特钢琴三重奏》（德国学者出版社，2014）。2017年，她受聘为中国兰州西北师范大学客座教授，并曾在美国多所高校举办讲座音乐会与大师班，包括罗斯福大学、伊利诺伊州东北大学、北卡罗来纳州海岸卡罗莱纳大学，以及内布拉斯加大学卡尼分校。 

    作为演奏家，蔡宜璇曾以独奏身份与青岛音乐厅管弦乐团、美国南伊利诺伊交响乐团及Highland Park Strings合作演出。她曾担任著名的阿斯本音乐节与Musicorda音乐节的驻节钢琴师，并作为艺术家与教师受邀参加巴西的Oficina音乐节、库里提巴音乐节，以及葡萄牙阿尔加维音乐节。 

    2018年，她与丈夫劉揚共同创立了“璇揚艺术基金会”，该基金会致力于推广多元文化影响下的音乐。基金会的工作也获得了美国国家艺术基金会及西部艺术联盟等机构的资助与认可。 

    蔡宜璇原籍台湾，1993年赴美留学，专攻钢琴与巴松管。她于1996年以优异成绩获得学士学位，并于1999年在印第安纳大学布鲁明顿分校同时完成钢琴与巴松双硕士学位，获Emma E. Claus奖学金。其后，她在辛辛那提大学音乐学院完成钢琴演奏博士（DMA）学位，期间获研究生奖学金，并在该校预科部担任教师。 

    在学期间，蔡宜璇曾获多项比赛奖项，包括Buckeye钢琴比赛、Graves钢琴比赛（美国）以及台湾青年艺术家系列。她作为演奏家、教育家与学者的多重身份，使其艺术生涯不断影响和启发世界各地的观众与学生。 

    蔡宜璇（短版） 

    作为“璇揚二重奏”的成员之一，蔡宜璇博士同时也以独奏家的身份活跃于舞台，曾与青岛音乐厅管弦乐团、美国南伊利诺伊交响乐团及Highland Park Strings合作演出。她曾担任世界知名的阿斯本音乐节与Musicorda音乐节的驻节钢琴师，并作为艺术家与教师受邀参加巴西的Oficina音乐节、库里提巴音乐节，以及葡萄牙的阿尔加维音乐节。 

    在演奏之外，蔡宜璇博士现任芝加哥范德库克音乐学院钢琴副教授。她经常在重要音乐学术会议上发表演讲，分享有关多元文化音乐的研究。她的学术成果包括专著《舒伯特钢琴三重奏》（2014年由德国学者出版社出版）。 

    2018年，她与丈夫劉揚共同创立了“璇揚艺术基金会”，致力于推动文化交流，并通过演出倡导多元化、公平与包容，特别呈现来自不同文化传统的音乐作品。基金会的工作获得了美国国家艺术基金会、西部艺术联盟及其他资助机构的支持与认可。 

    Yang and Olivia

    Winners of the 2020 Silver Medal at the Global Music Awards, Yang and Olivia are a dynamic violin-piano duo acclaimed for their captivating, story-driven performances that blend classical and contemporary works from around the world. Violinist Yang Liu is a prizewinner of the 12th International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, and has received top honors from the American Prize in String Performance (2023), Medici International Competition (2022), International Artists Award Competition (2021), and China’s 5th National Competition. Pianist Olivia Tsai is a frequent presenter at national and international conferences including MTNA, CMS, and others, where she champions underrepresented contemporary music with multicultural influences. In recent years, the duo has toured over 30 cities across the United States and has performed and taught internationally in China, Portugal, Brazil, and Taiwan. As founders of the Yang and Olivia Foundation, they advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion through performances that highlight musical traditions from a wide range of cultures. Their work has been recognized with support from the National Endowment for the Arts, Mid-Atlantic Arts, and the Illinois Arts Council Agency. 

    Yang Liu

    Praised as “a scorching performance!” by The New York Times and “…from China, with dazzling talent!” by The Washington Post, violinist Yang Liu is an internationally celebrated artist whose career spans more than 40 countries. A laureate of the Twelfth International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, Mr. Liu has also won first prizes at the 2023 American Prize in String Performance, the 2022 Medici International Competition, the 2021 International Artists Award, and China’s 5th National Violin Competition. As a soloist, he has appeared with leading orchestras around the world, including the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, and the Danish Royal Odense Philharmonic, among others. His award-winning album, Song of Nostalgia, highlights his exceptional virtuosity and deep musical sensitivity. His repertoire spans from Baroque masterpieces to contemporary commissions and from Western classical to traditional Eastern music. A passionate advocate for cultural exchange and inclusion through music, Yang Liu founded the Yang and Olivia Arts Foundation and Momento Virtuosi, a chamber ensemble noted for its ethnic and instrumental diversity. Born in Qingdao, China, Mr. Liu studied at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing under Professor Yaoji Lin, and later at the College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati with Kurt Sassmannshaus and Dorothy DeLay. He became an American citizen in 2014 through the United States’ Extraordinary Ability immigration program. 

    Olivia Tsai

    In addition to touring as part of the Yang and Olivia duo, Olivia (Dr. I-Hsuan Tsai) has appeared as a soloist with the Qingdao Concert Hall Orchestra, Southern Illinois Symphony Orchestra, and Highland Park Strings. She has served as staff pianist for the world-renowned Aspen Music Festival and Musicorda Music Festival in the U.S., and has been an artist faculty and performer at the Oficina Music Festival and Curitiba Music Festival in Brazil, as well as the Algarve Music Festival in Portugal. Beyond performance, Dr. Tsai is currently Associate Professor of Piano at VanderCook College of Music. A frequent presenter at major music conferences, she shares research on music of diverse cultural heritage. Her scholarly work includes the book Schubert’s Piano Trios, published by Scholar’s Press in 2014. In 2018, she co-founded the Yang and Olivia Foundation, an organization committed to promoting cultural exchange, and advocating for diversity, equity, and inclusion through performances that spotlight music from a variety of cultural traditions. The foundation’s work has been recognized with support from the National Endowment for the Arts, Western Arts Alliance, and other funding organizations.