Piano Recital of Claudia Yan

Pianist • Artistic Director

“She really plays from her heart and soul.” — Lorin Maazel

“Claudia is one of the very rare pianists who brings joy to the audience.” — Paul Badura-Skoda

Claudia Yang, the celebrated Malaysian-born pianist of Fujianese Chinese heritage, is internationally recognized for her profound musicality, emotional depth, and dedication to cross-cultural artistry. A prodigy from an early age, she began her piano studies at the age of five. At sixteen, she moved to Vienna to study at the University of Music and Performing Arts under the tutelage of legendary pianists Dianko Iliew, Paul Badura-Skoda, and Ludwig Hoffmann. She graduated in 1997 as the joint best pianist of her class — a milestone that launched her onto the global stage.

Claudia made her Chinese debut in 1999 at the Beijing Concert Hall and was subsequently named “Global Chinese of the Year” by China Voice magazine for her artistic excellence and cultural ambassadorship. Since then, her career has spanned continents and styles, with performances that resonate deeply with audiences and critics alike.

She has performed as soloist with many of the world’s leading orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra, Vienna Chamber Orchestra, Slovak Philharmonic, Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, Prague Symphony Orchestra, Moscow State Symphony Orchestra for Cinematography, Novosibirsk Philharmonic, Irkutsk Philharmonic, Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, China National Symphony Orchestra, Philippine Philharmonic, and the Malaysian National Symphony Orchestra, Kuala Lumpur Symphony Orchestra. Her international engagements have brought her to prestigious concert halls across Europe, Asia, and Latin America.

Among her notable collaborations is her joint performance with famed violinist Vadim Repin in Beijing. She was later invited by Repin to make her debut at the Trans-Siberian International Music Festival, where she was praised for her expressive power and interpretive insight.

In 2010 and 2011, Claudia launched major international tours celebrating the bicentenaries of Frédéric Chopin and Franz Liszt, performing across Europe and Asia. She served as a jury member for the International Chopin Competition for Young Pianists (Moscow, 2011–2012) and the 11th International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians, affirming her role as a thought leader in piano pedagogy.

In 2013, Claudia made history as the first Asian pianist invited by Maestro Valery Gergiev to perform at the Vladikavkaz International Music Festival in Russia. A year later, in February 2014, she was honored with the Pro Cultura Hungarica Award by the Hungarian government for her contributions to the global dissemination of Hungarian music, especially that of Liszt. The award was personally presented by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán during his official visit to China.

In May 2014, Claudia co-composed the piano concerto Dream of the Red Chamber with Hungarian composer Gyula Fekete. This unique East–West fusion premiered in Beijing and was subsequently performed to acclaim at the Budapest Spring Festival, Kazakhstan National Concert Hall, Bolshoi Theatre, Mariinsky Theatre, Rachmaninoff Concert Hall, Istana Budaya in Kuala Lumpur, and during the China–Latin America Cultural Year.

In 2018, Claudia collaborated with Russian composer Artem Vassiliev on 12 Fantasies for Piano and Orchestra Based on Chinese Folk Melodies, a landmark project that fused traditional Chinese themes with Western classical orchestration.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, she created and streamed a ten-episode online series titled “Gather With Heart and Soul”, featuring piano performances and reflections on Beethoven’s solo works in celebration of his 250th birth anniversary. The series was supported by the Embassy of Germany in Beijing and Bundesstadt Bonn, and was widely praised for its warmth, accessibility, and musical insight.

In 2020, Claudia received the International Culture Engagement Special Award at the Austrian Music Theatre Awards, recognizing her contributions to global cultural exchange. That year, Plácido Domingo was honored alongside her with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

She further cemented her role as a cultural bridge in 2021 by directing the concert version of the Azerbaijani operetta The Cloth Peddler at the Belt and Road – Great Wall International Folk Arts Festival, hosted by China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism. She also founded the Silk Road Philharmonic Orchestra, a unique ensemble composed of Chinese and international musicians. President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the festival, acknowledging its significance.

In October 2020, Claudia established Claudia Yang’s Piano Art Studio, a platform devoted to nurturing young pianists and promoting international cultural exchange through music. As a passionate educator and mentor, Claudia has been invited as a visiting professor and masterclass artist at prestigious institutions including the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, Tianjin Conservatory, Harbin Conservatory, Xi’an Conservatory, El Sistema Academy in Venezuela, and the University of Music and Performing Arts in Slovakia, among others.

In July 2023, Claudia premiered the piano concerto “The Legend of the Maritime Silk Road” with the China National Symphony Orchestra, and later at the Opening Ceremony of the 2023 China–ASEAN Week in Fuzhou as well as during ASEAN Governors and Mayors Forum 2025 in Kuala Lumpur. The piece, inspired by folk songs from China and ASEAN nations, was commissioned by the Silk Road International Arts Center and composed by British composer John Lenehan, following Claudia’s vision for a work embodying cultural dialogue and regional unity.

Since 2021, Claudia has served as Artistic Director of the Silk Road International Arts Centre, where she curates cross-cultural projects that combine music, diplomacy, and education. From 2021 till 2024, Claudia was appointed as the Honorary Dean of Piano Department of Tianjin Conservatory of Music.

In 2024, during the 50th Anniversary Celebration of Diplomatic Relations between China and Malaysia, Claudia was invited to perform for Chinese Premier H.E. Mr. Li Qiang and Malaysian Prime Minister H.E. Dato’ Sri Anwar bin Ibrahim in Kuala Lumpur, marking another high-profile moment in her role as a cultural ambassador.

On December 18, 2024, Claudia was invited to perform at the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Hall in memory of the legendary conductor Yuri Temirkanov, sharing the stage with the Mariinsky Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Valery Gergiev.

On September 16, 2025, in recognition of her outstanding contributions to cultural exchange and diplomacy between China and Malaysia, Claudia Yang was formally acknowledged and invited to attend a state dinner hosted by Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim in honor of the State Visit of Chinese President H.E. Xi Jinping to Malaysia. Her presence at this high- level diplomatic occasion underscored her role as a key cultural ambassador, whose artistic and intercultural efforts continue to build meaningful bridges between the two nations.