Yibai Chen

Prize winner of three international cello competitions, Yibai Chen is emerging as one of the most promising cellists of his generation. His playing has been described as “nothing short of remarkable”, “a flawless technique yet displaying sincere tenderness and sensitivity” and “a personal sound and true stage presence”.

The 2020 season presents Yibai with numerous debuts, recitals and chamber music events. In June he debuts with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra and will play the opening concert at the International Enescu Competition in September. He will give performances at Festspielfrühling in Rügen with Daniel Hope in March and the “Stars and Rising Stars” Festival in Munich in May. He will also play recitals in Pretoria, Shanghai, Hamburg, Singapore...

In 2012 Yibai was invited by the University of Cambridge to give a performance. In 2013 and 2015 he participated in Morningside Music Bridge, an International music program presented by the Mount Royal University in Canada. In 2016 he participated in a masterclass given by Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt at the Cello Akademie Rutesheim and Yibai was chosen to perform Sarasate 'Zigeunerweisen' with the Südwestdeutsches Kammerorchester Pforzheim at the closing concert of the festival. He also took part in masterclasses given by David Geringas, Jens Peter Maintz, Jian Wang, Martti Rousi, Liwei Qin, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, Gabriel Schwabe, Wen-Sinn Yang; violinist Daniel Hope and pianist Jacques Ammon.

In 2018 Yibai was invited to perform at a Festival in Poland, “Chopin and his Europe”. He performed Haydn’s C major Cello concerto with the Amadeus Chamber Orchestra under the baton of Agnieszka Duczmal at the Polish National Opera in Warsaw. In 2019 he performed Prokofiev’s Sinfonia Concertante with the Südwestdeutsche Philharmonie Konstanz directed by Eckart Manke. In June of the same year he performed at the renowned “George Enescu Festival” with Banatul Philharmonic Orchestra directed by Nicolas Piovani. In November at the opening concert of the "Viva Cello” festival in Moscow, he performed Penderecki’s Concerto Grosso No.1 with Danjulo Ishizaka and the German cellist Claudio Bohorquez with Russian Philharmonic Orchestra directed by Maciej Tworek. In the same month he performed Brahms Double Concerto with violinist Ning Feng and Wuhan Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Liu Peng; Given performances at the 4th International Shanghai Cello Festival.

Yibai has played many recitals in China and performed many concertos with the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Muhai Tang. In August 2019 he performed Haydn’s D major concerto at the Brooklyn Theatre in South-Africa with the Gauteng Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Gina Beukes and was immediately invited back to perform with the Cape Town Philharmonic and to play a recital in Pretoria.

Yibai was born in 2001 and embarked on his cello career since he was five years old and has been trained under Professor Meijuan Liu in Music Middle School Affiliated To Shanghai Conservatory Of Music until the end of 2016. In 2017 he moved to Berlin to study with Professor Danjulo Ishizaka at the University of the Arts Berlin. Currently Yibai continues his studies with Prof. Ishizaka at the University of Music Basel.

Yibai holds three International awards. In February 2018 he has won the third prize in 11th Lutoslawski International Cello Competition in Warsaw. In September of the same year he has won the second prize in 60th Enescu International Cello Competition (Festival) in Bucharest. In June 2019 he has won the fifth prize in 16th Tchaikovsky International Cello competition in Saint Petersburg.

Yibai is playing on a cello by Joseph Guadagnini ca .1780-1800 on loan of German Foundation “Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben Hamburg”.

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Concerts with Yibai Chen