Biography
Yue Yu, named one of Classic FM’s "30 under 30" Rising Stars of 2022, is a Chinese violist celebrated for her vibrant musicianship. She has won first prizes at the 2021 Paul Hindemith Viola Concorso and the 2019 Stockport International Young Musicians Competition, among others. Her debut Naxos album, recorded at age 22 with works by Britten, Imogen Holst, and Bowen, has earned international acclaim.
An avid chamber musician, Yue has collaborated with artists including Steven Isserlis, Steven Doane, Clive Greensmith, Pavel Gililov, and Helena Winkelman at festivals such as IMS Prussia Cove OCM, Ravinia, Wye Valley, Schiermonnikoog, and the inaugural VIVACISSIMO Festival.
From 2023 to 2025, she served as an academist with the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin. Since August 2025, she serves as Principal Viola of the Magdeburg Philharmonic, leading symphonies, operas, and ballets, and concurrently holds the position of Akademist with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, while guesting frequently with Salzburg Camerata, Ensemble Esperanza.
Yue holds a bachelor’s from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (Dr. Louise Lansdown) and a master’s plus postgraduate studies from the Universität Mozarteum Salzburg (Prof. Thomas Riebl, until 2024). She plays an 1865 Enrico Ceruti viola, generously on loan from the Hepner Foundation.
Last updated: Feb 2026
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