Yixiang Hou

YIXIANG HOU, piano
Chinese pianist Yixiang Hou has performed as a soloist with several orchestras, including the Taiwan Sanchong Orchestra, the Shanghai Conservatory Orchestra, and the NEC  Philharmonia.  He  has  worked  with  several conductors, including  Xiaoou  Zhao, Jiahong Liao, and Andrew Litton. In 2005, he made his debut recital at the Shanghai Oriental Art Centre.

At the age of ten, Yixiang won a prize in the Shanghai Haydn Piano Competition. Since then, he has won numerous competitions, including the Wiesbaden Piano Competition in 2009 and receiving awards in the Tianjin “Flying Melody” Competition and the Steinway Competition in Beijing. In 2016, he won both the NEC Piano Concerto Competition and the NEC Piano Honors Competition. In 2019, he was awarded first prize at the Robert Beardsley Piano Prize Competition, as well as third prize at the Los Angeles Young Musician International Competition. Yixiang’s most recent accomplishments include winning first prize at the Charleston International Music Competition and the GRAND PRIX “CROWN OF STARS” at the Music and Stars Awards in 2021. In 2022, he won the silver prize at the International Keyboard Odyssiad Competition, fourth prize at the WPTA Spain International Piano Competition, and third prize at the MIMAS International Piano Competition. He was also the first prize winner of the 2022 New York International Artists Piano Competition.

Yixiang Hou has been  invited by  the  Boston  Symphony  Orchestra’s  “What  I Hear” to perform, and held a  recital  for  the  Ruthmere  Fall  Series. His performances have taken him to venues around the world, including Carnegie Hall and Jordan Hall, among others. In 2022, Yixiang received a full scholarship to study with Arie Vardi at the Aspen Music Festival. He was  also  selected  to participate in the Tiziano  Rossetti Academy talent program. His debut album “Carnival” was released by KNS Classical in 2023. Huntley Dent of Fanfare magazine  stated, “A gifted  Chinese pianist who combines a powerful technique with poetry,” and Rorianne Schrade has praised him as “a gifted and adventurous young artist.” Reviewing  his recording, Fanfare magazine hailed it, saying, “This is a thoroughly satisfying debut performed at a high level of artistry and technique.”

Yixiang began his musical journey at the age of nine, studying with Qi Zhang, Weiling Chen, Dachun You, and Ting Zhou at the Music Middle School affiliated to Shanghai Conservatory. He moved to Boston in 2012 to study with Wha Kyung Byun at the New England Conservatory, as a recipient of the Presidential Scholarship. He completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree on a full scholarship at CCM, studying with Ran Dank.

“Yixiang is an appealing, ingratiating performer whose natural pianistic skills are integrated within a musical personality so thoughtful and idealistic as to make the muses smile. Guided by his innate lyricism and tenderness, the music and player seem beautifully matched. “ – Wha kyung Byun, Piano faculty at New England Conservatory

“Yixiang is a wonderful pianist. He has great facility that is always meticulously employed at the service of the music. His performances are marked by seriousness and dedication, and he is a consummate musician who is able to draw his listeners in with his strong communicative skills.” – Ran Dank, Pianist

As debuts go, Carnival sets an incredibly high bar for whatever will follow. Be that as it may, the performances on this splendid outing suggest there’s no challenge Hou isn’t capable of meeting. – Textura Magazine