Seattle, Washington | Doctor of Musical Arts Student, University of Washington

Xinyi Liu is an accomplished flutist based in the Seattle area and is currently pursuing her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Washington, where she studies with Professor Donna Shin. Xinyi serves as principal flute and piccolo player of both the University of Washington Symphony Orchestra and Wind Ensemble.  In addition, she teaches chamber music lab, flute studio class, and non-major flute lessons and serves as a teaching assistant for MUSIC 185  “The Concert Season”.

This year, Xinyi won the  National Flute Association Convention Masterclass Competition and will be performing in Portland, Oregon, in August. She was also awarded Second Prize in the University of Washington Concerto Competition. This summer, she participated in the Brevard Music Center Summer Festival Institute. She was the winner of the 2026 Jan and Beattie Wood Concerto Competition, will perform with the Brevard Music Center Orchestra in the Soloists of Tomorrow concert on July 26, and received a full scholarship to attend the Brevard Music Center Summer Institute in 2027.

Xinyi began her musical studies in 2007 at the Xiamen School of Music, studying with Yang He. During this time, she toured internationally with the school orchestra, performing in Australia, Taiwan, and throughout China. In 2019, she was admitted to the China Conservatory of Music in Beijing, where she studied with Professor Zhaorong Chen. As an undergraduate, she served as principal flute and piccolo in both the China Youth Philharmonic Orchestra and Wind Ensemble. She was awarded First Prize in several international competitions, participated in masterclasses with distinguished artists, and performed at major venues including the National Centre for the Performing Arts, Tsinghua University, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Shanxi Grand Theatre, and the Shenyang Conservatory of Music. Upon graduation, she was honored as an Outstanding Graduate of Beijing.

In 2023, Xinyi was awarded a scholarship to attend the Manhattan School of Music, where she studied with Professor Linda Chesis. She performed as principal flute and piccolo with the MSM Symphony Orchestra, Opera Orchestra, Jazz Orchestra, and Chamber Orchestra, appearing at venues such as Aaron Davis Hall, Neidorff-Karpati Hall, and Greenfield Hall. She also received chamber music coaching from esteemed faculty members, including saxophonist Paul Cohen, hornist David Jolley, and violinist Chloe Kiffer. In 2025, Xinyi auditioned for seven Doctor of Musical Arts programs and was accepted by all of them, receiving multiple offers with substantial scholarships and three teaching assistantships.

Xinyi has studied with and received guidance from over thirty internationally renowned flutists and pedagogues, including Carol Wincenc, Robert Langevin, Demarre McGill, Ransom Wilson, Paul Edmund-Davies, Bonita Boyd, and Nicola Mazzanti.

Beyond her musical pursuits, she enjoys cooking, sewing, painting, photography, and traveling, continually embracing creativity in all aspects of her life.

Curriculum Vitae: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1W3fPiVKG2elihrGIPbrZ6OeoEBOQB2sH/view?usp=sharing