Li-Wei Qin

Li-Wei Qin was awarded the Silver Medal at the 11th Tchaikovsky International Competition and First Prize in the prestigious 2001 Naumburg Competition in New York. He has twice been a soloist at the BBC Proms and enjoyed successful artistic collaborations with many of the world’s great orchestras. In recital and chamber music he is a regular guest at the Wigmore Hall and the Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society, New York. His recordings on Universal Music/Decca include the complete Beethoven Sonatas, music by Rachmaninov with pianist Albert Tiu, Dvořàk Concerto with Singapore Symphony Orchestra, and Elgar/Walton Concerti with the London Philharmonic. In 2014, courtesy of Universal Music, Qin’s 2013 live concert with the Shanghai Symphony and Maestro Yu Long has been released on Sony Classical.  

Born in Shanghai Qin moved to Australia at the age of 13. He was awarded scholarships to study with Ralph Kirshbaum at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester and with David Takeno at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London. He was invited to join the BBC “New Generations” scheme in 2001 and in 2002 received the Young Australian of the Year Award. Other major invitations included appearances at both the 2008 Beijing Olympics Cultural Festival (New Zealand Symphony), 2012 London Olympics and the Davos World Economic Forum (Basel Symphony Orchestra).  

Qin plays a 1780 Joseph Guadagnini cello, generously loaned by Dr and Mrs Wilson Goh.