PIANO

Xiaoyi Niu, born in Shanghai, China. She has studied with the legendary Chinese pianist and pedagogue Ms.Leyi WU. She went to study in Paris at the age of 19 at France’s prestigious L’Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris with renowned pianists and professors such as Pascal GODART, France CLIDAT and Sergei MARKAROV. Xiaoyi holds a Master’s degree in Piano Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music under the study with Professor Mack MACCRAY. She combines in her playing the romanticism and musicality of her Western European influences with the technical skill and discipline she began learning at the age of four. Since moving to the United States in 2004, Xiaoyi has performed as a soloist and in chamber music groups both on the East Coast and the West Coast, Europe and Asia.

Xiaoyi NIU has had over 20 years teaching students of all ages, all levels and diverse culture backgrounds. Her teaching approach is encouraging, engaging and energetic. She has been actively teaching in Short Hills, Millburn, Summit, South Orange, Livingston area in NJ for the past 10 years. Lessons can be taught in English, French and Chinese Mandarin.

PIANO

Jiarong Li (Joy)

Chinese Pianist Jiarong Li (Joy) is known for her sensitive and passionate collaborations with instrumentalists. As a Si-Yo Artist, she serves as staff accompanist for the Puerto Piano & Strings International Music Festival and was a collaborative piano fellow at Bowdoin Music Festival and Music Academy of the West. She has been featured as a pianist for the production of the contemporary opera Oedipus in the District at the Tank, Piano on Park concert series, the opening concert of Modern Art Meet Chamber Music series at Stride Arts Gallery, Si-Yo Musical Phone Pal and Distant But Connected projects, Metropolis Ensemble, and CelloBello Masterclasses. She regularly appears recitals at Sacred Music at Columbia University and Music at the Farm at Grace Note Farm Music. Additionally, she has collaborated with the musicians for Concert Artists Guild Finals and Concours Musical International de Montréal.

She is currently pursuing her doctorate with an assistantship at Manhattan School of Music, where she study with John Forconi. Jiarong holds a Master of Music from New England Conservatory, where she studied with Bruce Brubaker and Pei-Shan Lee, and a Bachelor of Music from Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. She has won prizes at competitions including first prize in the Oxford Philomusica Piano Festival and Summer Academy Competition, the New England Conservatory Honors Competition, the International Music Competition-Best Schubert Performance, the Distinction Award of the Hong Kong-Asia Piano Open Competition, and was a finalist at New England Conservatory Piano Concerto Competition and semi-finalist at Foundation for Chinese Performing Arts International Concerto Competition.

Her teaching philosophy is to give the fundamental knowledge and technique to her students and allow them to achieve their goal independently and appreciate classical music. Number of her students won competitions such as First Place in Little Mozarts Competition and performed in Carnegie Hall; Second Place in American Protege International Competition and performed in Carnegie Hall; Gold Winner in Young Artist Music Competition and performed in Merkin Hall; First Place and Third Place in PROPIANO International Competition; Gold Award in American Youth Talent and Art Contests competition and performed on ICEPN Television; Her students also passed Piano National Guild Audition and ABRSM Exams with high scores.

PIANO 

Xiyu Deng (Grace)  

Pianist Xiyu Deng is currently pursuing Doctorate of Musical Arts degree under Dr. Joanne Polk in Manhattan School of Music. She is also a teaching assistant employed by Manhattan School of Music from 2018; teaches piano group classes and elective piano lessons for MSM graduate and undergraduate students. She began studying the piano at the age of five. She was awarded top prizes at the BNP Paribas ‘Rising Star’ Piano Festival in 2013, New England Conservatory Honors Competition in 2016 and the second prize in Open Class at the 17th Hong Kong—-Asia Piano Open Competition in 2012.As a solo pianist, she has performed extensively throughout Europe, Asia, Australia and the United States at the internationally notable concert halls, such as Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Music Center in New York, New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall in Boston, and Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing. She pursued her Bachelor of Music degree in Central Conservatory of Music, as a student of Dr. Bo Tong and Master of Music degree with Mr. Gabriel Chodos in New England Conservatory.

Ms Deng teaches piano students of all ages and experience levels. She has taught private students for 10 years from age 4-adult or professionals. Some of them study with her from the elementary level. Her students pass the ABRSM exams and won top prizes in domestic and international piano competitions during the instructions. Ms Deng wishes her students to enjoy music at the moment they start to learn how to read the music. She believes developing a great technique is an essential part in learning the piano. Besides that, she likes her students to understand music as an art form, can be approached as a language, which each component of a piece, such as the melody and harmony, convey emotional meanings. 

PIANO

Jose Cruz 

The young Mexican pianist José Manuel Cruz Vásquez began his musical studies at the age of 7 with his father, maestro Manuel Cruz. Since he began taking his first musical lessons, he started to show an extraordinary talent, he was required by some orchestras in Oaxaca to be part of different projects. At the age of 12, he began taking private piano lessons with maestro Miguel Angel Rivera, since then he decided to focus entirely on classical music. At the age of 14, he moved to Mexico City to study his music prep at the Superior School of Music under the guidance of Ana Maria Tradatti.

He has given some recitals in important theaters and concert halls such as San Pablo Cultural Center, Juarez Hall of Fine Arts, Macedonio Alcalá Theater (Oaxaca), San Pedro Auditorium (Nuevo León), AUKA Hall (Baja California), Felipe Carrillo Puerto Theater, José Peon Contreras Theater (Yucatán), Blas Galindo Auditorium, School Superior of Music, Hermilo Novelo Hall, National Museum of History at Castillo de Chapultepec, Angelica Morales Hall, Haus der Musik (Ajijic), Church of the Transfiguration (NYC), Miller Hall, Greenfield Hall (NYC) and Carlos Chavez Hall as part of the UNAM International Piano Festival 2018 (Mexico City).

In February 2020 he made his debut with an orchestra, playing the Liszt Piano Concerto No. 1 with BUAP Symphonic Orchestra, at the CCU in Puebla. During the pandemic, he recorded Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3 for a TV program. He has been winner of some national and international piano competitions such as, National Piano Competition Cedros UP-YAMAHA, Parnassos National Piano Competition for young artists (category 4 and 5), 1st Cuervo-Petrof International Piano Competition, Piano Competition of the Superior School of Music, 6th National and International Piano Competition Jose Jacinto Cuevas – Yamaha, 10th International Piano Biennial.

In April 2020 he got accepted and awarded a very substantial scholarship by the Manhattan School of Music to continue his musical studies, under the guidance of the great professor Jeffrey Cohen. During the summer, José Manuel travels around Mexico to perform with his chamber music ensamble and solo piano recitals. Jose Cruz has been also teaching since he was 18 in music schools and private lessons. Currently teaching in NY and NJ area.

VIOLIN      

Corinne Au