Artists

Boaz Sharon, professor at Boston University School of Music, is an internationally known pianist, recording artist and frequent judge at top international piano competitions. He is one of the most sought-after piano teachers in the US. 

Born in Israel Boaz Sharon studied in Brussels with the legendary pianist Stefan Askenase and with Leonard Shure in the US.  He was first prize winner and gold medalist at the Jaen International Piano Competition, Spain.  For many years he was the artistic director of the Prague International Piano masterclasses and the Sichuan International Piano Festival in Chengdu, China. His recording on the Nonesuch records was named one of the 10 best recordings of the year by Newsweek Magazine.

Over the last three years Boaz Sharon performed with the Brazil National Symphony in Brasilia and performed with orchestra at the Teatro Nacional in Rio de Janeiro, gave masterclasses and recitals at the Shenyang International Piano Festival, Beijing, Bangkok, Seoul, Korea, New York City and masterclasses in Vienna and at the Liszt Budapest Academy.  He was jury member at the Franz Liszt International Competition in Budapest in 2022.​In 2024-5 he will be performing with the Brazil Air Force Symphony in Brasilia and will give recitals and masterclasses at the Royal Academy of Music, London and will judge the Cesar Franck International Piano Competition in Brussels and the Mozart International Piano Competition in Bangkok.

Over the years he has given hundreds of piano recitals, including at the Shanghai Concert Hall, Beijing Concert Hall, Xinghai Concert Hall, Guangzhou; Sao Paulo Museum of Modern Art, Gasteig, Munich, Rudolfinum, Prague, Tchaikovsky Conservatory-Moscow, Gnessin Institute-Moscow, Mozart Hall, Seoul, Erasmus House, Jakarta, Juilliard School of Music, Phillips Collection and the National Gallery in Washington, D.C. He toured Russia from the Far East to Moscow and performed with the Irkutsk Philharmonic and with the Ural State Orchestra in Yakaterinburg, Russia.

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Sharon was Artistic Director for many years of the Prague International Piano Masterclasses and was Co-Founder of the International Piano Certificate for Piano Artists in Brussels and Paris. Among hundreds of piano masterclasses he has given have been at Beijing, Central Conservatory, Shanghai Conservatory, Xinghai Conservatory, Guangzhou, Gnessin Institute, Moscow, Royal Swedish Conservatory, Stockholm, Seoul National University, Korea University of the Arts in Seoul. His students won top awards at the Hamamatsu International Piano Competition and at the Rubinstein International Piano Competition. A frequent lecturer, Sharon has given lectures at Cambridge, Oxford, Stanford, Berkeley, Columbia and Yale Universities and reviewed books for the Yale University Press.

Boaz Sharon specializes in the performance, lectures, articles and recording of Claude Debussy, Darius Milhaud and other French and Brazilian composers.

Kelin Wang is a distinguished pianist, recognized for his virtuosity and expressive performances as both a soloist and collaborative artist. His international concert engagements have taken him across the globe, where he has received widespread acclaim from audiences and critics alike. He holds the titles of Absolute Classical Artist, Absolute Classical Chamber Music Club Collaborative Pianist, KNM Music Album Artist, and Harvard Guest Artist.

A laureate of prestigious competitions, Kelin won the Schumann International Piano Competition and the Lillian Fuchs Chamber Music Competition. He has performed at renowned music festivals including PianoSummer at New Paltz, Aspen Music Festival, Ian Hobson Piano Festival, Beijing International Music Festival and Academy, and the International Institute for Young Musicians. His mentors include renowned musicians such as Donald Weilerstein, David Geber, Sylvia Rosenberg, Alexander Korsantia, Vladimir Feltsman, and Paul Ostrovsky.

Kelin’s education journey began at the Middle School Affiliated to Sichuan Conservatory under the mentorship of Chenggang Yang. He pursued his undergraduate studies at Manhattan School of Music starting in 2017 under Marc Silverman’s guidance, where he was honored with the Harold Bauer Award and the Frances Hall Ballard Scholarship. He is currently a Doctoral candidate (DMA) at Boston University, studying with Boaz Sharon.

In 2024, Kelin was invited as a live-round jury member for the Melbourne International Piano Competition. In the same year, he successfully completed a nationwide tour in China, performing solo and chamber music recitals across major cities, including Changzhou, Chongqing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Nanchang, Xi’an, Guangzhou, and Longquanyi. His critically acclaimed albums, Pictures at an Exhibition and Schubert Piano Sonata D.960, were released on over 120 international music platforms by KNM Classical. Notable performances included solo and chamber recitals at Boston Booth Theater, Wellesley Croton Hall, and Harvard University.

In 2025, Kelin was appointed Guest Artist and Solo Pianist by Harvard University CSSA Association and became the Promotional Ambassador and International Cultural Diplomat for the FYM International Music Festival. He also earned second prize at the Richmond Piano Competition and was invited as a judge for the Aegio International Piano Competition. That same year, he made his debut at Carnegie Hall in New York as an invited Distinguished Artist. Upcoming engagements include performances in the United States and Asia, along with new recording projects with KNM Classical.

Yixiang Wang graduated from New England Conservatory of Music with a Master’s degree in violin performance and a concentrations in teaching artistry. She has been playing with Boston Symphony Orchestra and Boston Pop as a substitute musician since 2024 summer where she won the BSO Play-In audition. Yixiang was invited to be part of BSO’s Beethoven 9 Symphony Marathon Cycle in January 2025 and BSO Leipzig Shostakovich Festival for 2025 summer where Andris Nelsons served as music director. Collaboration is an important part of Yixiang’s musical life. She played chamber music with some of the most inspiring musicians including Yo-Yo Ma, Edward Gazouleas, Natasha Brofsky, Donald Weilerstein, Nicholas Mann and Steven Mackey. She received fellowships from Yellow Barn, PMP, Kneisel Hall, Bowdoin Music Festival, Music Academy of the West, NYSOS, Tanglewood Festival in the past few years and worked closely with Takacs Quartet in MAW string quartet fellowship program. As a passionate chamber musician and educator, Yixiang has spent 2 years at Kneisel Hall chamber music festival both as a young artist and as a mentor for student programs. Yixiang is also a summer musician of Perlman Music Chamber Workshop program and Yellow Barn Music Festival 2023 and Tanglewood Music Festival 2024.

Yixiang is currently a leader of NEC chamber Orchestra and actively playing for Boston Symphony Orchestra and Boston Philharmonic Orchestra. Her most recent performances include playing Chou Wen-Chung’s String Quartet ‘Stream’ with renowned Juilliard cello faculty Natasha Berofsky; Kodaly Duo for Violin and Cello with concert cellist Mon-Puo Lee; Mendelssohn String quartet with Ed Gonzouleas and Bacewicz quartet for 4 violins with Donald Weilerstein and Kurtag 6 Musical Moments with Nicholas Mann. Leading her beloved Meraki String Quartet, they performed Ligeti Metamorphosis Nocturne at Boston Symphony Hall and received great reviews, in 2024, they were invited to performed Malcom Payton’s string Quartet no.1 in Jordan Hall to composer himself and his foundation.

Yixiang was invited to complete her solo and chamber music debute in 2024 by Chengdu Dinghub concert hall, where she received high professional reviews and warm audience feedback. In 2025 Summer, she was invited by Gewandhaus Orchestra to Leipzig Shostakovich Festival and performed works by legendary composer Dimitri Shostakovich. She was the leading principal member of the festival orchestra. She performed as guest artist for many international music competitions. 

Aija Rēķe is a Latvian violinist, chamber musician, published composer, concert presenter, and pedagogue. Her educational work emphasizes Social Emotional Learning, global community engagement, environmental justice, and high performance.

She released her album Latvian Reflections under the Spice Classics label (July 2021), which was featured on National Latvian Radio Channel 3, Latvian National TV Station 1, and other national and international media. Henry Fogel, one of the most respected music personalities in the United States, praised the recording in Fanfare Magazine. Latvian Reflections showcases Aija’s dedication to promoting Latvian heritage, especially 20th-century Latvian composers.

As a composer, her Meditation-Prayer was published in 2019 by Musica Baltica (Edition Peters). Her most recent solo recording appeared on Ketty Nez’s album “Far Sight Sun” (2023), released by Albany Records.

In 2024, Aija received the Boston University Women’s Council Scholarship, which supported her volunteer teaching and conservation work with Daraja Music Initiative in Tanzania during the summer of 2025. Her experience teaching in Moshi, Tanzania was transformative, engaging a broad community far beyond music.

Aija won the Boston University Solo Bach Competition (2014), became a member of Pi Kappa Lambda, the American National Music Honor Society (since 2015), and received the Boston Latvian Cultural Heritage Award (2014). She has performed in sixteen countries across Europe, North America, and Africa as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral performer.

Her collaborations include performances with ALEA III – Contemporary Music Ensemble in Residence at Boston University, the Boston Modern Orchestra Project, and Odyssey Opera. She has premiered numerous new works through collaborations with contemporary composers.

A devoted teacher, Aija has taught an exceptionally large number of students through programs such as the Boston Music Project, Brookline Public Schools, El Sistema, and several private institutions. In 2024, she led a Berklee Institute for Accessible Arts Education webinar, and in 2021 she gave an international masterclass sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Rīga, Latvia, with over 200 participants. She has also presented seminars at the Jazeps Vitols Latvian Academy of Music.

Her article on overcoming stage fright appeared in the prestigious Strad Magazine.

Aija is currently pursuing the Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Boston University College of Fine Arts, studying with Professor Bayla Keyes. She previously earned her Master of Music (2015) at Boston University under Dana Mazurkevich, supported by a CFA Full Tuition Scholarship, and her Bachelor of Music (2013) from the Rotterdam Conservatory in the Netherlands under Benzion Shamir.

Outside of music, Aija is passionate about personal growth, attending classes and seminars with Brendon Burchard and Growth Day, and volunteers regularly with the American Red Cross.

Quinlan Facey, from Dallas, Texas, is a pianist devoted to sharing his love for music and his instrument at the highest level of quality and passion. Quinlan first began his journey with classical piano at the age of 6 in Massachusetts, studying with Albert Avadyeyev. From the age of 12 and until his Bachelor’s studies at the Eastman School of Music, he learned under the guidance of Baya Kakouberi in Dallas. At Eastman, he studied under the great pianist and Van Cliburn competition winner Alexander Kobrin. Following his undergraduate studies, he earned his Master Degree in Piano Performance at UT Austin under the guidance of Professor Anton Nel. 

Quinlan has had the opportunity to perform across the country and in Europe. Some notable performances include: Beethoven’s third Piano Concerto in C Minor with the New York Concerti Sinfonietta at Carnegie Hall, Mendelssohn’s first Piano Concerto with the New Texas Symphony Orchestra, and various performances in Ragusa, Sicily, and the United States with the IBLA Grand Prize foundation. Some notable awards also include: First prize at the Nashville International Piano Competition and IBLA Grand Prize competition top prize and Prokofiev special mention. Quinlan is also a recipient of the prestigious Texas Young Masters grant, and is a frequent collaborator with the Blue Candlelight Music Series in Dallas. He is currently pursuing his Doctorate in Musical Arts at Boston University, studying with Pavel Nersessian.

Yichen Zhou is a distinguished cellist, acclaimed for her artistry and expressive performances as both a soloist and chamber musician. She has performed on some of the world’s most prestigious stages, including Carnegie Hall in New York, Boston Symphony Hall, and major venues in Shanghai such as the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra Hall, Shanghai Concert Hall, and the Shanghai Oriental Art Center. Her international appearances also include invited performances in Taiwan, further establishing her as a versatile and expressive artist.

She began her formal training at the Elementary School affiliated with the Shanghai Conservatory of Music under Prof. Xupin Zou. She later earned her Master of Music degree in Cello Performance from Boston University, studying under William Rounds and Michael Reynolds. She has also participated in masterclasses with distinguished artists including Peter Zazofsky, Blaise Déjardin, Bayla Keyes, and Edwin Barker, expanding her artistry through their mentorship.

Her academic and musical excellence have been recognized by her induction into Pi Kappa Lambda, the prestigious American national music honor society to honor the highest levels of musical scholarship and performance.

Beyond performance, Yichen Zhou is the founder of Gien Media LLC, a creative platform that combines music, education, and cultural entrepreneurship. She is passionate about building opportunities for young musicians and promoting cross-cultural dialogue through artistic exchange.

Upcoming engagements include solo and chamber performances in the United States and Asia, as well as the launch of the Kairos International Music Competition, where she serves as Artistic Director.

Virginia Zheng, a pianist from Vancouver, Canada, is devoted to sharing her artistry with audiences worldwide. From a young age, she has been passionate about piano and performance, a dedication that has led her to concert stages across the globe. Her notable appearances include her concerto debut in Chicago with the Northeastern Illinois University Orchestra, where she performed Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A minor, as well as a recital at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York.

Virginia has been recognized with numerous international prizes, including First Prize with the Jury’s Pick in the 2023 New York Artists International Competition and First Prize in the Young Virtuosi category of the 2019 Future Stars International Piano Competition. She has also received multiple scholarships, such as the BC Arts Council Scholarship in Music.

She has participated in prestigious festivals and masterclasses, working with distinguished artists including Alan Chow, André Laplante, Jerome Lowenthal, HaeSun Paik, and Logan Skelton. In addition to her performance career, Virginia is dedicated to teaching. Since 2024, she has held a Graduate Teaching Assistantship in the Keyboard Department at Boston University, where she works with piano minors and non-music majors, while also maintaining her own private studio in Boston.

Virginia earned both her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from Manhattan School of Music, where she studied with Alexandre Moutouzkine. She is currently pursuing her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Boston University, studying with Pavel Nersessian.

Bowen Chen earned his Bachelor’s degree in 2021 from the Taipei National University of the Arts (TNUA), where he was concertmaster of both the string and symphony orchestras. That same year, he was admitted as the top violin candidate to the Master of Music program at TNUA and also accepted to the New England Conservatory (NEC) in Boston, USA.

He completed his Master’s degree at NEC in 2023 and was awarded a scholarship for the NEC Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) program. He currently studies with Prof. Paul Biss. Past teachers include Nicholas Kitchen (MM), Prof. Nancy Tsung (BM), Chun-Hsin Li, and Yung-Chan Chen. He has also participated in masterclasses with distinguished artists such as Cho-Liang Lin, Keng-Yuan Tseng, David Chan, Frank Huang, Miriam Fried, Kirill Troussov, Oleh Krysa, Tatsuki Narita, Haik Kazazyan, and Yasuko Ohtani.

Bowen is the president of the NEC Taiwanese Student Association, Artistic Director of Taiwan Resonance Music Society, and serves as a staff pianist at NEC Prep. He has also worked as a substitute accompanist for the Handel & Haydn Society.

Besides solo performances, he is an active orchestral and chamber musician, performing with ensembles such as the Boston Chamber Orchestra, Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Du Bois Orchestra. He has received full scholarships to attend the Gustav Mahler Academy, Taipei Music Academy Festival, Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, and the International Chamber Orchestra Academy Philippsburg. He has also served as a teaching assistant at the Da Capo Music Festival.

Zhongsan Yang is an accomplished pianist who has received wide international recognition for his artistry. Frank Lech, Director and Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the German Ettlingen International Youth Piano Competition, once praised his playing as “full of color, outstanding technique, and impressive musical style… the best performance I have heard since I came to Chengdu.” At the Sichuan Conservatory of Music International Piano Festival 2016, world-renowned pianist Gary Graffman, former Dean of the Curtis Institute of Music, described him as “exceptionally talented,” highlighting his “delicate and perfect” interpretation of Chopin.

Throughout his career, Zhongsan has studied with and earned recognition from many distinguished pianists, including Chu-Fang Huang, Matti Raekallio, Julian Martin, Robert McDonald, Andrea Bonatta, Zhe Tang, and Huiqiao Bao. He has also been invited to participate in numerous prestigious master classes and festivals, such as the Sichuan Conservatory International Music Festival, the Mei-Hua International Music Festival, Walnut Hill Music Festival, Holland International Music Festival, Shanghai International Master Class Week, Kent International Piano Festival, Gijón International Music Festival in Spain, The Art of Piano Festival in Cincinnati, and the Salzburg International Music Festival in Austria. 

Zhongsan has achieved notable success in both domestic and international piano competitions. He won First Prize at the Ameri-China International Competition in 2013, and in the same year was selected for the Holland International Music Festival. In 2014, he received First Prize in the Young Artist category at the 5th Chopin International Piano Competition in Hartford, Connecticut. The following year, he earned Second Prize at the 2nd United States Virtuoso International Piano Competition in Cleveland, Ohio. In 2016, he won First Prize at the Shanghai International Piano Festival Competition. Most recently, in 2019, he was a finalist (Top 6) at the Beethoven International Piano Competition in Chengdu, China.

In addition to competitions, Zhongsan has given numerous solo recitals. He held his first recital in 2012 at the Sichuan Conservatory of Music and has since performed widely in China and abroad, continuing to establish himself as one of the most distinctive and promising pianists of his generation. Zhongsan Yang graduated with an Artist Diploma in Piano Performance from The Glenn Gould School of The Royal Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Professor John Perry. Professor Perry regards him as one of his most valued students and has often praised his refined and moving performances, which left a profoundimpression on him. Zhongsan previously studied at the Eastman School of Music, earning both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees under Professor Nataly Antonova. Earlier in his career, he trained at the Affiliated High School of the Sichuan Conservatory of Music, studying with Professor Bing Xu as well as faculty members Hanguo Yang and Yan Zhou. In 2025, he became the sole candidate admitted to the Doctor of Musical Arts program in Piano Performance at the University of Toronto, where he is currently studying under Professor Lydia Wong, Head of the Piano Department.

Pianist Chengcheng Ma, has performed concerto concerts with several symphony orchestras, including Sinfonia da Camera (2022 and 2023, Maestro Ian Hobson), Brookline Symphony Orchestra (2021, Maestro Andrew Altenbach), Boston University Symphony Orchestra (2020, Maestro James Burton), and Hebei Province Symphony Orchestra (2014, Maestro Peng Tuo), among others. The repertoire includes Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58; Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 73, "Emperor"; Mozart's Piano Concerto in G major, K.453; Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 23; Ravel's Concerto for the Left Hand; Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2 in B♭ major, Op. 83; and John Corigliano's Piano Concerto. In addition to his appearances as a concerto soloist, he has also performed as an orchestral pianist and celeste player with Boston University Symphony Orchestra (2021, Maestro James Burton), Longwood Symphony Orchestra (2025, Maestro Jotaro Nakano), and Coro Allegro (2025, Maestro David Hodgkins)

Chengcheng Ma has worked closely with contemporary composers, and world premieres include Ketty Nez's suite française for piano solo (2024); Rodney Lister's This Time Next Year (with clarinetist Amy Advocat); Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note (with baritone James Demler); and Again Later (with soprano Aliana de la Guardia). An album of choral music by composer Rodney Lister, OF MERE BEING, was released in June 2025, where Chengcheng accompanied 21 choral works by Dr. Rodney Lister, with members of the Church of the Advent, under Maestro Mark Dwyer, at Futura Productions, Boston.

Chengcheng has an extensive jazz background, featuring performances and research in J.P. Johnson, Fats Waller, Mary Lou Williams, Erroll Garner, Oscar Peterson, and Art Tatum. He participated in the HARLEM STRIDE PIANO 1921–1943 recording project at Falcetti Pianos, Springfield, MA, and hosted lecture recitals at Weatherford College (Alkek Fine Arts Center, TX) and Gracepoint Media. Chengcheng has also performed jazz piano duets with Prof. Boaz Sharon and Dr. Hyeyoung Song.

Chengcheng Ma’s recent performances include a masterclass and solo recital at the University of Mary in Bismarck, ND; a solo recital at First Church Boston; an orchestral performance with the Longwood Symphony Orchestra at Jordan Hall, Boston; and a solo recital at Merkin Hall, New York.

Dr. Xiyu Deng is an internationally acclaimed pianist, collaborative artist, and educator whose artistry has been described as “fresh and alive to every mood, nuance, and gesture” (Fanfare Magazine) and praised for its expressive depth and refined lyricism (New York Concert Review). Her debut album, Inner Fantasies: A Live Concert Recording of Schumann and Brahms (2025), was hailed by Fanfare as “a winning recital on all counts” and recognized by Broadway World Classical for her “authentic expression.” The recording and its critical acclaim are featured in the November/December 2025 issue of Fanfare Magazine.

Born in China and trained internationally, Dr. Deng earned her Doctor of Musical Arts in Classical Piano Performance from the Manhattan School of Music, where her doctoral research explored Gabriel Fauré’s impressionistic style. She also holds a Master of Music degree from the New England Conservatory and a Bachelor of Music from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing.

As a soloist and collaborative pianist, Dr. Deng has performed across Europe, Asia, Australia, and the United States, in venues such as Merkin Concert Hall (New York), Jordan Hall (Boston), and the Forbidden City Concert Hall (Beijing). Her new solo album, featuring late Romantic and Impressionistic music, will be released by Parma Recordings.

She is a Steinway Educational Partner and active member of MTNA and NJMTNA, guiding students who have earned top results in competitions and auditions. She also serves as a juror for international piano competitions and currently serves as the pianist at First Lutheran Church, contributing to its vibrant musical life.