Join us for an atmospheric concert experience by violinist Yixuan Lai exploring the artistic imagery of the moon, night, memory, and reflection across different musical cultures and traditions. This program combines violin performance with contemporary poetry, projected visual elements, and audience-friendly commentary as it connects Western classical repertoire and Chinese musical traditions through contemporary musical storytelling.
Moon viewing through a telescope will follow the 45-minute program, weather permitting.
Presented by violinist Yixuan Lai; piano accompaniment by Jialiang Li; poetry selections read by Julie Swarstad Johnson.
This event will be presented in-person only; it will not be livestreamed.
Violinist and violist Yixuan Lai has performed as a solo, chamber, and orchestral musician across the United States, Germany, and China. Her recent appearances include performances at Modified Arts, the Arizona Senior Academy, Cayton Children’s Museum in Santa Monica, the Children’s Museum of Phoenix, and Rosson House Museum at Heritage Square. She has performed with the Atlantic Music Festival Orchestra, Brevard Music Center Orchestra, Texas Festival Orchestra, and Tianjin Juilliard Orchestra, and was featured as a soloist with the University of Arizona Collegium Musicum. Lai is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Arizona, where she studies violin with Dr. Elena Chernova-Davis and orchestral conducting with Dr. Thomas Cockrell. Her recital programs bring together beloved masterworks and distinctive repertoire through expressive and engaging performances.
Jialiang Li began his musical journey at the age of four, studying piano under the guidance of He Han and, from age 12, Nikolai Kryzhanov. In 2012, he was admitted to the Piano Department of Xinghai Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Tu Yuliang. During his undergraduate studies, he broadened his horizons internationally by learning from Professor Peter Watts at the Liszt Conservatory of Music in Weimar, Germany. Continuing his academic pursuits, Jialiang returned to Xinghai Conservatory in 2016 to enroll in the Graduate Department, studying under Professor Huang Tiandong. His dedication to performance flourished during this time, as he participated in numerous recitals, concerts, and recording sessions, gaining valuable stage experience. In 2020, Jialiang's pursuit of excellence took him to the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, where he studied with renowned pianist Benjamin Pasternack. Currently, he is advancing his studies by pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) at the University of Arizona under the mentorship of Daniel Linder. With a rich background in performance and a commitment to musical scholarship, Jialiang Li continues to inspire audiences and contribute to the vibrant world of classical music.