Zoltán Kodály
Sonatina for Cello and Piano

Béla Bartók
Rhapsody No.1 for Cello and Piano, Sz. 88

Antonín Dvořák
Sonatina in G Major for Violin and Piano, Op.100
(arr. for Cello and Piano)

- INTERMISSION -

Edvard Grieg
Sonata for Cello and Piano in A minor, Op.36

*Program is subject to change.

 

Yibai Chen, cellist
Berlin-based cellist Yibai Chen is one of the most compelling musicians today. He has attracted international attention for his magnetic stage presence, expressive depth, and refined technical command. Critics have described his playing as “nothing short of remarkable”, “flawless technique” and “sincere tenderness and sensitivity. ” La Libre Belgique praised his playing as “came down like a light, taking us to another world”. Renowned violinist Daniel Hope has said: “Yibai impressed me enormously from the very first moment I heard him. He is a tremendous talent!”

Since his breakthrough at the Queen Elisabeth Cello Competition 2022, Yibai has developed an active international career performing with leading orchestras and conductors worldwide. This exceptional artistry has recently been recognized by two of the most influential classical music institutions. In 2026, Yibai was named a Classic FM Rising Star and was selected as a BBC New Generation Artist — one of the most prestigious and internationally recognized artist development programs.

Yibai’s highlights in the 2026/27 season include collaborations with BBC Philharmonic Orchestra/Kellen Gray, BBC National Orchestra of Wales/Duncan Ward, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra/Muhai Tang, Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra/Guoyong Zhang, Verona Theatre Philharmonic Orchestra/Stepan Armasar and recording project with BBC Symphony Orchestra. In the recent seasons, he has appeared twice with Belgian National Orchestra under Hugh Wolff and Joshua Weilerstein at the Bozar Brussels. The China NCPA Orchestra invited him to perform both Shostakovich’s Cello Concertos over two evenings with Lawrence Foster. Together with Long Yu, he has played P. Glass’ Cello Concerto No.1 with Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and Chinese premiered Korngold Cello Concerto with China Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also collaborated with Brussels Philharmonic, Warsaw Philharmonic, Guangzhou Symphony, Basel Symphony, Janáček Philharmonic, Enescu Philharmonic, St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Hagen Philharmonic, Czech Chamber Philharmonic, Royal Chamber Orchestra of Wallonia, Amadeus Chamber Orchestra of Polish Radio and conductors such as Eivind Aadland, Stéphane Denève, Muhai Tang, Jia Lü, Daniel Raiskin, Christian Ehwald, Nikolay Alexeev, Vassily Sinaisky, Vahan Mardirossian.

As a regular festival guest, Yibai has performed at many of the world’s most prestigious festivals, including the Chopin and His Europe Festival, George Enescu Festival, Gstaad Menuhin Festival, Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Con Spirito Leipzig Chamber Music Festival, Nymphenburger Sommer, Telavi Music Festival, Z+Music Festival (Shanghai Symphony), among others.

As a chamber musician, Yibai and his long-time duo partner, pianist Boyang Shi, have appeared at venues and festivals including Wigmore Hall, the Gstaad Menuhin Festival, Shanghai Concert Hall, and Victoria Concert Hall in Singapore. In 2023, the duo presented a highly acclaimed tour across Asia of the complete works for cello and piano by Beethoven. Music Weekly China wrote that “their interpretation of Beethoven showcases a mastery and depth that transcend their age.” Yibai has also collaborated with distinguished artists such as Arabella Steinbacher, Daniel Hope, Ning Feng, Paul Huang, Martin Helmchen, Nils Mönkemeyer, Sarah McElravy, Adrien La Marca and Julian Bliss.

Yibai’s competition achievements further highlight his exceptional talent. In addition to his success at the Queen Elisabeth Cello Competition, he has been a major prize winner at the Lutoslawski Cello Competition 2018, the George Enescu Cello Competition 2018 and the Tchaikovsky Cello Competition 2019.

Yibai’s artistic development was profoundly shaped by his mentor, Professor Danjulo Ishizaka, under whom he studied at the Music Academy Basel and a Konzertexamen degree at the University of the Arts Berlin. He currently serves as Prof. Ishizaka’s teaching assistant at the University of the Arts Berlin and is Artist-in-Residence at the Music Middle School Affiliated to the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. He is also an ambassador for the renowned German publisher Henle Verlag.

Yibai performs on a cello by Giuseppe Guadagnini (ca.1780), generously loaned by the Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben Hamburg.

 

 

Pianist Boyang Shi, an associate Professor at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, and a member of the Conservatory’s Innovation Team for Orchestral and Chamber Music Performance and Talent Development. Praised for her refined technique, profound musical insight, and extraordinary range of tonal color, Boyang has earned widespread acclaim from audiences and critics alike. Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung described her as “an outstanding interpreter,” while Main-Post praised her playing for its “infinitely varied and exquisitely refined palette of sound.”

Recent highlights include the launch of the Echo Valley Music Festival as the Artistic Director in 2026; the world premiere of composer Ye Erda’s Piano Concerto with the Inner Mongolia Arts Theatre Symphony Orchestra; her debut at Wigmore Hall in London; and a ten-city China tour of Chopin’s complete Études, a rare nationwide project devoted to one of the most demanding cycles in the piano repertoire. In 2024, her debut album Chopin Etudes, featuring Chopin’s complete Twenty-Four Études, was released by Pacific Classics. In 2025, her book The Art of Collaboration: Techniques for Piano and Violin Partnership was published by Shanghai Music Publishing House.

As a soloist and chamber musician, Boyang has appeared in major concert halls throughout Europe and Asia, including Salle Cortot in Paris, the Warsaw Philharmonic Concert Hall, the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing, Shanghai Symphony Hall, Shanghai Concert Hall, Shanghai Oriental Art Center, Guangzhou Opera House, and Victoria Concert Hall in Singapore. She has also appeared at internationally renowned festivals including the Gstaad Menuhin Festival in Switzerland, Bad Kissinger Sommer, and the Bad Sobernheim Festival in Germany. Her performances have been broadcast by BR-Klassik, ARD, and NDR. Together with cellist Yibai Chen, Boyang presented an international tour of Beethoven’s complete works for piano and cello, comprising seventeen performances in major concert halls around the world. The project was met with enthusiastic responses from both audiences and critics.

As concerto soloist, Boyang has collaborated with orchestras including the Macao Orchestra, Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, Sichuan Philharmonic Orchestra, Jilin Symphony Orchestra, Hohhot Philharmonic Orchestra, and Hebei Symphony Orchestra, performing concerto repertoire under the baton of conductors Tan Lihua, Hu De, Jian Baijian, Fan Ni, and Ouyang Wangjian. As an active chamber musician, she has also collaborated with distinguished artists including Yibai Chen, Nobuko Imai, Thomas Riebl and musicians from Guiyang Symphony Orchestra.

Boyang first gained international attention when she won First Prize at the 14th International Chopin Competition in Hanover, where she was the only Asian pianist to reach the final round. She was invited to appear at Bad Kissinger Sommer as a laureate of the Kissinger KlavierOlymp competition, and her prizewinner’s concert was broadcast live by Bavarian Radio. She was also a major prize winner at the China International Piano Competition.

Born in China, Boyang studied with Prof. Lei Ma and Prof. Zhiwei Zhang at the Middle School Affiliated to the Central Conservatory of Music. In 2010, she moved to Germany for advanced studies with Prof. Karl-Heinz Kämmerling, Prof. Arie Vardi at Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media, and Prof. Alfredo Perl at Detmold University of Music, where she has received the Konzertexamen diploma, Germany’s highest degree in music performance.