Chang Li
CHANG LI, piano
Chang Li is a solo and collaborative pianist based in China. As a solo pianist, Mr. Li has given numerous performances in Asia, Europe and the United States. As a collaborative pianist, he has worked and cooperated with musicians in different fields from all over the world, such as the legendary violinist Dmitri Berlinsky, Vadim Gluzman; cellist Suren Bagratuni and American saxophonist Joseph Lulloff, etc. As a chamber musician, his professional field is very broad; he involved in small groups to big ensembles, such as piano duos, piano trio, brass band and wind symphony orchestra, which all have made him a comprehensive musical talent. Mr. Li is a member of Clover Trio, associate with violinist Yu Xin and cellist Mira Cheng. In 2022, Clover Trio successfully entered the national finals of the Music Teachers National Association Chamber Music Competition in the United States and became one of the seven most competitive finalists in the string group.
Mr. Li received an honorary scholarship every year from Xi’an Conservatory of Music during his four-year undergraduate study with the piano professor Mrs. Wu Chen in China since 2014. Mr. Li not only made lots of impressive piano recitals and chamber music concerts there, but also won many competition awards and honors for the school. His music literacy created his mature music level and a very incredible height,
until he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Xi’an Conservatory of Music in 2018.
At the same year, he was admitted to Manhattan School of Music, Mannes School of Music, San Francisco Conservatory of Music and Music College at University of Cincinnati for Master of Music in piano performance with high scholarships. Since 2018, Mr. Li has studied piano performance and piano pedagogy with Dr. Vladimir Valjarević, a renowned Serbian pianist, and the piano professor of Mannes School of Music and Rutgers University. In 2020, Mr. Li received a master’s degree in piano performance from the Mannes School of Music in New York City, and was admitted to University of North Texas, University of Kansas, Penn State University, Michigan State University, and University of Connecticut for Doctor of Musical Arts in piano performance degree with full scholarships and teaching assistantships.
Mr. Li has participated in many music festivals and concerts in Asia, Europe and the United States. Especially between 2018 and 2020, he has been invited multiple times to participate in the annual “Mannes Sounds Festival” of the Mannes School of Music. In January 2022, he was invited to participate in the Tuba Bach Chamber Music Festival at one of the largest international chamber music festivals in Big Rapids, Michigan; where he gave a chamber recital with his piano trio (Clover Trio) members. He has also been invited to give recitals and concerts at the Art Center of Jiangxi Province, Art Center of Xi'an Conservatory, and Xi’an Concert Hall, China; Mirasler Concert Hall in Hamburg, Germany. His performances have also spread all over the United States, it’s worth mentioning that Mr. Li created the most glorious moment in his musical life in New York City, he has performed at several historical and prestigious venues such as the Miller Recital Hall, Ernst C. Stiefel Hall, Baruch Performing Arts Center and Bruno Walter Auditorium at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall etc.
Mr. Li has taken master classes and received guidance with world-class pianists from both solo and collaborative field: Rohan De Silva, Jerome Lowenthal, Marc Silverman, Pavlina Dokovska, Vladimir Valjarević, Corey Macvicar, Ellen Mack, Pamela Mia Paul, Gustavo Romero and Derek Polischuk, etc. He also studied Fortepiano with Dr. Yi-heng Yang and Dr. Audrey Axinn at Mannes School of Music and the Juilliard School in 2018. Most notably, the master class of world – renowned collaborative pianist Rohan De Silva he attended by Mr. Li at Michigan State University has been live streamed and posted by the world’s leading classical music
media and platform – The Violin Channel. He is highly praised by the Steinway Artist, and jury member of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, Dr. Pamela Paul: “Thoughtful, interesting musicianship without trying to be different for the sake of being different.” Pianist and virtuoso Alexander Korsantia said, “He is a serious and skillful pianist, quite cultured.” Also, his main mentors Dr. Vladimir Valjarević and Dr. Derek Polischuk praised that “Chang Li is a musical, sensitive, nuanced pianist and he has defined artistic personality and he is deeply committed to his studies;” “Chang Li is a serious artist of intense musical depth, as well as deep devotion to his craft.”
Mr. Li is also the winner of both national and international competitions. He won the top prize in the 2016 Shanghai Summer International Music Festival and Memorial “Xu Feiping” Piano Competition, China; the silver award in the First edition of the German Hamburg International Piano Competition in 2016; the both grand prize and first prize of the New York Concert Festival “Spring Season” and “International Instrumental Recital competition” in 2019; the second prize of the Franz Liszt Center Piano Competition in 2021; the gold award of the third edition of the World Piano Teachers Association Finland International Piano Competition and first prize of the first edition of the New Orleans Piano Institute International Piano Competition in 2021. In 2019, he won third prize in the Camerata Artists International Competition and got the honorable opportunity to make his debut at both Carnegie Hall and Lincoln center in New York City. Mr. Li also won the first prize of the 2021 “Golden Classical Music Awards” International Competition. Meanwhile, he has been invited to perform the winner’s recital in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall again in December 2021. Since 2020, Mr. Li was recognized an honorary musician of the Orpheus Classical Label after he received the “Steinway & Sons” Artist Award from the Mannes School of Music. His first digital and physical album “Francis Poulenc: Les Soirées de Nazelles” has been already released on numerous music platforms globally. In 2021, he joined the KNS Classical Label as a recording artist and pianist.
Later on, he recorded the album “Trace Back” in collaboration with the renowned “Latin GRAMMY nominated producer” and pianist – Dr. Sergei Kvitko. This album is cover works by D. Scarlatti, Franz Schubert, Claude Debussy, Alexander Scriabin and Lowell Liebermann.
Outside of Mr. Li’s performing field, he is also involved in the field of teaching and educating. He joined the Music Teachers National Association as an international member in 2019; in 2021, Mr. Li joined the Global Outstanding Chinese Artists Association as a teacher member and young artist; when he was pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Michigan State University in the United States with a full scholarship, he served as a graduate research assistant and professional instrumental accompanist since 2020.
“Thoughtful, interesting musicianship without trying to be different for the sake of being different.” – Pamela Paul, Steinway Artist, Jury member of Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
“He is a serious and skillful pianist, quite cultured.” – Alexander Korsantia
“Chang Li is a musical, sensitive, nuanced pianist and he has defined artistic personality and he is deeply committed to his studies.” – Vladimir Valjarević, Steinway Artist, piano professor at Mannes school of Music and Rutgers University
“Chang Li is a serious artist of intense musical depth, as well as deep devotion to his craft.” – Derek Polischuk, American Pianist, piano professor and director of piano pedagogy at Michigan State University
