Yin Xiong

Cellist Yin Xiong joined the cello section of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra at the start of the 2016/17 season, appointed by Music Director David Robertson. Recognized from an early age for her exceptional artistry, Yin received top honors including the 4th International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians and prizes at both the 4th and 5th National Cello Competition of China. She also won the concerto competition at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts for an unprecedented five consecutive years.

As a soloist, Yin made her concerto debut with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of 17 under the baton of Edo de Waart. In 2021, she made her concerto debut with the SLSO under conductor Nicholas McGegan and was subsequently featured as a soloist with Music Director Stéphane Denève during the orchestra’s 2024/25 season. She has also collaborated with distinguished conductors including János Fürst, François-Xavier Roth, and Alexander Shelley.

A passionate chamber and orchestral musician, Yin was deeply influenced by her parents, both professional cellists. As a member of the Academy String Quartet, she represented the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in performances throughout Asia and Europe. She also performed extensively with the Hong Kong-based cello ensemble Cellistra, presenting concerts and community engagement projects across Asia. As founding cellist of the Hsin Trio, Yin gave the American premiere of Toshio Hosokawa’s Piano Trio, appeared in the Juilliard Open Studio series, and performed throughout the United States and China.

Yin began her orchestral career at the age of 20 when she joined the Hong Kong Sinfonietta, while also performing regularly with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. She has served as principal cellist of the Hong Kong Academy Orchestra and the Oberlin Orchestra, and as co-principal of the Juilliard Orchestra. From 2006–2009, she was principal cellist of the Pacific Music Festival, where she worked with renowned conductors including Valery Gergiev, Riccardo Muti, Christoph Eschenbach, and Michael Tilson Thomas.

Yin was a fellowship student at the Aspen Music Festival and School, where she participated in the Finckel–Wu Han Chamber Music Studio Program. Additional festival appearances include the Kronberg Academy, Kneisel Hall, the Banff Chamber Music Residency, and the Taos School of Music.

A dedicated educator and advocate for music education, Yin has served on the faculty of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and the Macau Youth Orchestra, and was a teaching assistant to Professor Darrett Adkins at the Oberlin Conservatory. She also served as Associate Professor at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. In St. Louis, she performs regularly with the Chamber Music Society of St. Louis and teaches its Chamber Academy, mentoring the next generation of young chamber musicians.

Born in Shanghai, Yin studied at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music before attending the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts on a full scholarship under Professor Ray Wang. She holds a Professional Diploma with Distinction from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and an Artist Diploma from the Oberlin Conservatory. She also completed the accelerated Bachelor and Master of Music degree program at the Juilliard School, where she studied with Darrett Adkins and Joel Krosnick.

In addition to modern cello performance, Yin is also devoted to historical performance practice, studying baroque cello and viola da gamba with Catharina Meints at Oberlin and Phoebe Carrai at Juilliard. Outside of music, she is an avid photographer and enjoys capturing the beauty of everyday life in St. Louis through her lens.