Andrew J. Yang

Biography

Deemed by The Examiner as "a prodigy, [running] the emotional gamut from brooding introspection to manic exuberance”, American pianist, Andrew Junglin Yang, has recently begun an active performance career across the United States, Europe, and Canada. While based in New York City, recent engagements have included performances at Victor Borge Hall, Carnegie Hall, Museum of Modern Art, Doctorow Center for the Arts, American Yacht Club, German Consulate at U.N., Steinway Hall, Murphy Recital Hall, Bosendorfer Hall at Mozarthaus (Austria), Krakow Jewish Cultural Center (Poland), and concert halls in Llanes and Ribadesella (Spain). In the past season, he has been presented by Muzewest Concerts (Vancouver), Kaslo Music Society, Denman Island Concerts, Noontime Concerts (San Francisco), and as a visiting guest artist at Loyola Marymount University (Los Angeles). Recently, Yang formed Vala-Yáng Duo with his girlfriend, Icelandic pianist Erna Vala. They were awarded the White Rose Medal of Honor from President of Finland, Sauli Niinistö and the 2018 Icelandic-Finnish Cultural Grant. 

​

In 2018, Yang was a finalist in the coveted Serge & Olga Koussevitzky Piano Competition in New York City and was awarded a special mention prize at the 6th Euregio Piano Award International Competition in Germany. Yang has also garnished prizes at numerous other competitions including the Metropolitan International Piano Competition, International Heida Hermanns Piano Competition, Thaviu Issac Piano Competition, Los Angeles International Liszt Competition, Evanston Music Club Competition, San Francisco Chopin Competition, and the Menuhin/Dowling Musicians Competition. He was a semifinalist at the International Crescendo Piano Competition (Tulsa, OK) and International Kosciuszko Chopin Competition and competed in the Paloma O’Shea Santander International Piano Competition.

​

Regarded by Meinbezirk Newspaper (Austria) as "a young American pianist of special class" and "inspiring, drawing the audience into a spell" by Geilenkirchener Zeitung (Germany), Yang continues to receive international acclaim for an honest, emotional, and philosophical approach to music, and an ability to create a deep connection with audiences. Julian Dawson, Former Associate Conductor of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the Glyndebourne Festival Opera said of Yang: "He has a remarkable talent, his innate musical understanding combined with a fine technical facility [gives] him an ability to grasp the essence of each piece." Audrey Axinn, artist faculty at Mannes and Juilliard, remarks: “[Yang is] a special musician [and] an extremely talented and accomplished pianist. His playing is consistently soulful and poetic; he plays with power and polish”. Yang’s performances have been heard over radio broadcast on WUSF 89.7 and WIOX 93.1, and television broadcast on N1 Neiderosterreich (Austria). 

​

Yang’s most important musical influence and mentor is William Wellborn, whom he studied with at the San Francisco Conservatory Preparatory Division and continues to make monthly trips to San Francisco to study with. Upon graduation with a M.M. in Piano Performance from Mannes School of Music, he received the 2017 Steinway & Sons Award, the top distinction given to an outstanding pianist, which came with a monetary award sponsored by Steinway. Yang previously received a B.A. in Economics and a B.M. in Piano Performance from Northwestern University. He has received numerous scholarships to perform and study at some of the most prestigious summer festivals, including the Austrian International Piano Festival and Seminar, Krakow Piano Summer (Poland), Academy of Fortepiano Performance (Hunter, NY), Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival (Flordia), Gijon International Piano Festival (Spain), Centre d’Arts Orford (Canada), and Banff Centre (Canada). His teachers and mentors include Pavlina Dokovska, James Giles, Ruth Slenczynska, Dang Thai Son, Audrey Axinn, Robert McDonald, and Julian Dawson.

​

Specializing in the music of Schumann, Scriabin, Brahms, Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff, and Chopin, Yang has also recently developed close friendships with two of the most luminary and important composers of today: Myung Hwang Park, currently studying at Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, and Braam van Eeden, a student of Lowell Liebermann in New York. Recently, Park’s Grandioso for solo piano (2017) and van Eeden’s Ten Miniatures (2016) were dedicated to Yang, who premiered these works in recent seasons. In 2015, Yang gave the world premiere of solo piano works by Stephen Kleiman at Ruggles Hall (Chicago), commissioned by the Newberry Library.

​

Yang is appreciative of the integrity and support of his parents, Jyeshwu and Wenjin. A competitive athlete, Yang has also pursued an amateur boxing career, training out of the legendary John's Boxing Gym in the Bronx, NY, with "Shabazz" Lorenzo Sidberry, who has coached IBF World Champions Joshua Clottey and Joseph Agbeko. Yang previously trained M.M.A./Muay Thai with Kru Nestor Marte, who has coached multiple UFC fighters and champions including Anderson Silva and Ulka Sasaki; he was also on the Northwestern Boxing Team (2010-2012), and his high school basketball and badminton teams. In addition, Yang is a classically-trained violinist and an amateur singer, guitarist, and producer. He played violin in Peninsula Youth Orchestra for many years and sang in the Northwestern University Chapel Choir, which highlights included performing with Eric Whitacre in Chicago. Yang is currently continuing his studies in the Professional Studies Diploma program at Mannes School of Music funded by the Mannes President Scholarship Award, Schoenberg Pianists Stipend, and the Peter Gross Fund. He is also an avid pedagogue and finds fulfillment and inspiration from the brilliant and sensitive students in his piano studio.

Yang was the Coordinator of the inaugural 2019 Sfzp International Fortepiano Project and Competition in New York City, working directly with American Classical Orchestra director and conductor, Tom Crawford. The competition offers a substantial cash prizes and major performance opportunities, namely a concerto appearance at Alice Tully Hall (Lincoln Center).  

​