Sophia Yan
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Sophia Yan is the winner of the International Concert Alliance Competition, and a laureate of the International Young Artist Piano Competition in Washington, D.C. In addition, she is a two-time winner of the Music Teachers National Association Competition, and alumni of the 2004 New York Piano Competition. Her awards include four-time First Prize winner of the Steinway Society Competition, First Place in the Battleground Symphony Concerto Competition, Grand Prize in the Bookstaber Memorial Piano Competition and Grand Prize in the Goldblatt Scholarship Competition.
An internationally acclaimed artist, Neil Genzlinger of The New York Times has described her playing in detail: “…the music literally pulls her off the piano bench; she ranges up and down the keyboard so quickly and with such ferocity that mere sitting will not do.” Ms. Yan has performed widely in the United States, Europe and Asia, appearing in Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Steinway Hall, CAMI Hall and the Kennedy Center.
An active soloist and chamber musician, Ms. Yan has performed in the Eastern Music Festival, Niagara International Chamber Music Festival and the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada. Solo orchestral engagements include collaborations with the Orchestra Sinfonica del Estivi di Chioggia, Battleground Symphony, Rowan Chamber and East Brunswick Chamber Orchestras. Sophia was invited by the Dean of Douglass College, Rutgers University to perform in exclusive engagements.
In 2004, Ms. Yan’s Europe tour began only four days after her U.S. tour had concluded. In January 2001, she was recorded live for the Exceptional Young Artists CD as a featured artist in the Crescent Concert Series, and has been asked to give several encore performances since then.
A Queens, N.Y. native, Ms. Yan is currently working towards a B.A. in English and a B.M. in piano performance under the tutelage of Robert Shannon at Oberlin on full scholarship. Previous studies were with Alexander Slobodyanik and Julia Lam. Ms. Yan has played in master classes taught by Richard Goode, Ian Hobson, Joseph Kalichstein, Peter Takacs, Douglas Humpherys, Evelyne Brancart, Petras Geniusas, Anya Alexeyev, Jose Ramos-Santana and Read Gainsford.
In addition, Ms. Yan is the arts editor of The Oberlin Review, also recognized as a National Merit Scholar, an Edward J. Bloustein Distinguished Scholar and an A.P. Scholar. She has interned at CBS News in New York, previously holding the position of editor-in-chief of her high school yearbook, teen columnist for The Home News Tribune, and on-air reporter and production assistant for the news broadcast on EBTV. Ms. Yan’s superior leadership skills and layout design talent has led to several appearances at national media conferences including the Associated Collegiate Press Association Convention, Columbia Scholastic Press Association Conference, and Gettysburg Yearbook Experience. She is a competitive swimmer for Oberlin’s varsity team, previously competing on the EBHS Bears and Crystal Springs Sandpipers swim teams. Ms. Yan has been a lifeguard at Crystal Springs Aquatic Center for several years.