Described by Dr. Ann Marie Stanley: “Wenyi “Kate” Xiong’s gorgeous, nuanced playing harnesses her remarkable emotional intelligence and authentic musical voice to forge a real connection with her audience. She transforms each performance into a powerful shared journey.”
Dr. Katherine Wenyi Xiong, a world-class concert pianist, will present a recital featuring a blend of classical and contemporary music on Saturday, May 10th, at 8 p.m. at the Black Box Theatre in New York, NY.
Dr. Xiong is a distinguished soloist, collaborative pianist, chamber musician, and adjudicator. She has been appointed to Adjunct Faculty in Piano Performance at New York University. Dr. Xiong also serves as Artistic Director of the Bay Area Piano Competition and as an adjudicator for the Charleston International Music Competition. Additionally, she has been a judge for the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Pennsylvania State Competition (2024) and the Music International Grand Prix Competition in New York City (2025).
Dr. Xiong is a laureate of several competitions, including the Fifth Finland International Piano Competition, Eighth ENKOR International Piano Competition, Charleston International Music Competition, the Director’s Distinguished Award at Pennsylvania State University, the 37th Annual Graduate Exhibition at Pennsylvania State University, the Ann Arbor Camerata Concerto Competition, Yamaha Asian Music Scholarship Competition, Fifth Shenzhen Piano Open Competition, World Chinese Piano Competition, and the Second Toyama Asia Youth Music Competition. She has performed in solo recitals and collaborative concerts throughout the United States, Europe, and China. Recent highlights include an honors recital at NYU, a world premiere of new music at the annual Tutte Le Corde concert in New York City, an Artist Guest Recital at Capital University, and a concert at City Hall in North Carolina. Additionally, Dr. Xiong has participated in a conference for the Pennsylvania Music Teachers National Association, presented solo recitals and lecture-recitals, and performed in chamber recitals on both the West and East Coasts. Notably, she has performed Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor with the University of Michigan Orchestra in Ann Arbor, as well as showcased the Yellow River Piano Concerto with the Changsha Symphony.
Dr. Xiong was featured in Town & Gown Magazine, where she discussed a vision that resonates with the aspirations of the music profession: to enhance the world through the beauty of music and to touch lives through the masterworks of classical composers. This philosophy, coupled with her abilities, positions her as a notable figure in the field. Dr. Xiong was also invited to participate in an interview with the Marketing Department at NYU Steinhardt on behalf of New York University, which has been shared on the school’s social media platforms. Additionally, Dr. Xiong was interviewed for the 7th Now Music Festival, themed “Composing the Future,” which took place at the closing concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
Dr. Xiong has participated in a range of prestigious international piano festivals. She received a scholarship to attend the Vivace International Music Festival in North Carolina in 2023, where her performance was praised for its excellence, comparable to international music competition standards. The mentors are from universities and music institutions such as the Juilliard School, Eastman School of Music, Yale University, Northwestern University, and others. Moreover, Dr. Xiong participated in Alan Feinberg’s piano masterclass in New York City in 2025, the Garcia Music Festival in Pennsylvania in 2023, and the Sicily International Piano Festival in Italy in 2020. At the 3rd Sichuan Conservatory of Music International Piano Festival, Dr. Xiong was awarded the title of Outstanding Student and earned the praise of Professor Gary Graffman. Additionally, she was selected to perform the works of Chopin and Debussy for the closing ceremony. Dr. Xiong also performed in the Shanghai International Piano Festival, under the supervision of Professor Nelita True, where she received an Excellence Award after advancing to the final round. Additionally, Dr. Xiong participated in the 2nd China Changchun International Piano Festival in October 2011, mentored by Professor Yoheved Kaplinsky, where she won an Excellence Award in the professional group.
Dr. Xiong earned her Bachelor of Music from the Sichuan Conservatory of Music, followed by a Master of Music from the University of Michigan, where she served as the Departmental and Curricular Assistant. She then completed her Doctor of Musical Arts at Pennsylvania State University, where she was awarded one of two highly competitive three-year graduate teaching assistantships. Currently, she is pursuing an Artist Diploma in Piano Performance and Pedagogy at NYU Steinhardt. Her principal teachers include Manuel Laufer, Timothy Shafer, and Christopher Harding.
Published by Joseph T.
