Biography

Dr. Yongqi Lao is a Chinese-born cellist, music educator, and researcher based in Pasadena, California. She is dedicated to performance, education, and the exploration of Chinese folk traditions through Western string instruments.

As a performer, Yongqi gave the world premiere of Chen Yi’s Three Bagatelles from China West for cello and piano in 2025. She made her solo orchestral debut at the age of 18 and has participated in international music festivals, including the Saline Royale Academy and the Nice International Music Festival. She has performed in masterclasses for musicians such as Valentin Erben of the Alban Berg Quartet, Santiago Cañón-Valencia, Dariusz Skoraczewski of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Nina Lee, and violinist Shmuel Ashkenasi. Her chamber music training has included work with the Brentano String Quartet and Brooklyn Rider.

Yongqi’s research focuses on adapting the folk music of Southwestern China for Western string instruments. Through her work, she seeks to preserve regional musical traditions while introducing them to new performers and audiences. She has presented her research at the MTNA National Conference, Stanford University, and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou). She has also received numerous national academic and music scholarships.

A committed educator, Yongqi coaches cello sectionals at the Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra. She has coached the Oakland Symphony Youth Orchestra and has served as a Teaching Artist with the Oakland Symphony. She is a member of the Music Teachers National Association and the Suzuki Association of the Americas and has received training in the Suzuki Method.

Born in 2000 in Canton, China, Yongqi began her cello studies with Wing On Leung, and later studied with Associate Professor Lin Ji of the Xinghai Conservatory of Music and Spanish cellist Sergi Boadella. After finishing her Bachelor of Music from South China Normal University in 2017, she came to the United States to pursue further musical studies at the recommendation of her teacher in China, Zhiwen Situ, a protégé of Mstislav Rostropovich. Yongqi completed a Performance Certificate in Cello Performance at La Sierra University in 2019 under the guidance of Pinfei Tang, followed by a Master of Music from Azusa Pacific University in 2021, where she studied with Marek Szpakiewicz. She finished her Doctor of Musical Arts from Arizona State University in 2025 under the mentorship of Tom Landschoot. Her additional mentors have included Emanuele Silvestri, principal cellist of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, and Yi-Bing Chu.