Artists in Residence – Yang & Olivia Duo
American Music Institute (AMI) is proud to partner with the acclaimed violin and piano ensemble, Yang and Olivia, as Artists-in-Residence & AMI College Faculty Members.
This collaboration brings together two world-class musicians who share AMI’s commitment to fostering a deep love for music and advancing musical education. Through this residency, AMI students and the wider community can learn directly from their expertise. Students can participate in private lessons, workshops, masterclasses, and inspiring live performances.
YANG & OLIVIA DUO
Global Music Silver Medalists Yang & Olivia are an award-winning violin and piano duo known for creating engaging musical experiences. Their performances blend contemporary and classical repertoire from cultures around the world, turning every concert into a compelling storytelling journey. Violinist Yang Liu is a prize winner of the 12th International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. He also earned First Prize at the 2022 Medici International Competition, the 2021 International Artists Award Competition, and China’s 5th National Violin Competition. Olivia Tsai is a frequent presenter at MTNA, CMS, and other prestigious music festivals and conferences. She is especially recognized for promoting music that celebrates Chinese and Taiwanese heritage.
Over the past several years, Yang & Olivia have performed and taught in more than 30 cities across the United States. In addition, they have shared their artistry in China, Portugal, Brazil, and Taiwan. Today, both serve on the faculty of VanderCook College of Music. They also founded the Yang & Olivia Foundation, which promotes diversity, inclusion, and cultural understanding through music from around the world. Watch Yang & Olivia Perform…
Yang Liu (Violin)
Yang Liu (violin) playing has been praised as “a scorching performance! ” by The New York Times and “…from China, with dazzling talent!” by The Washington Post. Yang Liu is the first prize winner of the International Artists Award Competition, the Medici International Music Competition, China’s National Violin Competition, and a prize winner of the Twelfth International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. He has performed as a soloist with world-leading orchestras, including the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, and Danish Royal Odense Philharmonic, to name a few. His award-winning album “Song of Nostalgia” showcases his virtuosity and musicality. His repertoire ranges from baroque to the most contemporary works, and from Western classical to Eastern traditional.
An avid advocate of cultural exchange via classical music, he is the founder of the Yang and Olivia Foundation and Momento Virtuosi, a chamber ensemble of diverse ethnicity and instrumentation. Born in Qingdao, China, Yang studied at Central Conservatory with Professor Yaoji Lin in Beijing, China, and the College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati with Professor Kurt Sassmannshaus and Dorothy Delay. Under the extraordinary ability immigration program, Mr. Liu became an American citizen in 2014.
Olivia Tsai (Piano)
Olivia Tsai (piano) currently serves as an associate professor of VanderCook College of Music. She is also the pianist of the award-winning violin-piano duo, Yang and Olivia, which has toured in the US, China, and Brazil. In addition, Tsai has appeared as a soloist with QingDao Concert Hall Orchestra, Southern Illinois Symphony Orchestra, and Highland Park Strings. She was the staff pianist of the world-renowned Aspen Music Festival and Musicorda Music Festival in the US, as well as an artist faculty/performer of the Oficina Music Festival, Curitiba Music Festival in Brazil, and Algarve Music Festival in Portugal.
In addition to performances, her book “Schubert’s Piano Trios” was published by Scholar’s Press in 2014. In 2018, she co-founded the Yang and Olivia Foundation to promote cultural exchange via classical music between China and the US. Since the pandemic, the foundation has dedicated its mission to promoting diversity and inclusion, featuring music with diverse cultural influences. Olivia has appeared in numerous music teachers’ associations and college music societies’ conferences sharing the music of Asian heritage. Dr. Olivia I-Hsuan Tsai has been named a Steinway Teacher through the prestigious STEP Program. This honor not only recognizes her excellence as a pianist and educator but also gives AMI piano students the exciting opportunity to perform recitals at Steinway venues on world-class instruments.