Chinese cellist Jiaqi Liu emerged as one of the most promising young musicians of his generation after performing Elgar’s Cello Concerto at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York at the age of fifteen. Today, his performances have taken him across Asia and Europe as a soloist, chamber musician, and collaborative artist.
As a soloist, Jiaqi has appeared with the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, Tianjin Symphony Orchestra, Kunming International Philharmonic Orchestra, and Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra, with whom he performed Saint-Saëns’ Cello Concerto No.1 during the composer’s 100th Anniversary Memorial Concert. In 2019, Jiaqi was invited to perform at the closing concert of the Rutesheim Festival in Germany, appearing with the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra in Paganini’s Moses Variations. During his time in Singapore, Jiaqi performed Beethoven’s Triple Concerto with the Singapore Children’s Orchestra, Vivaldi’s Double Cello Concerto alongside Qin Li-Wei and the Re-Sound Chamber Orchestra, and Dvořák’s Cello Concerto with the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory Orchestra, all within the span of a single month. In addition, he has been invited to present solo recitals at the Zhongjian Theatre in Beijing, Jingshan Theatre in Shenzhen, and Palais Lichtenau in Berlin. As an interdisciplinary chamber musician, Jiaqi also took part in a piano–pipa–cello trio tour across China, performing at Hangzhou Canal Grand Theatre, Guangzhou Opera House, Zhuhai Grand Theatre, and Shanghai Concert Hall. The ensemble released a vinyl recording last year.
As a chamber musician, Jiaqi has performed extensively in piano trio concerts across Beijing, Shanxi, Suzhou, and Berlin, and has appeared in string quartet performances in both Beijing and Japan. He has also participated in multiple cello ensemble projects in Singapore and Germany.
Jiaqi is a prize winner of numerous international competitions, including the Central Conservatory of Music Concerto Competition, the Morningside Music Bridge Concerto Competition, the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory Concerto Competition, the Mahler Cello Competition, and the Bonn Cello Competition. He has also gained international recognition through appearances in the 2022 George Enescu International Competition, the 2024 73rd ARD International Music Competition, and the 2026 Queen Elisabeth Competition.
Jiaqi graduated from the Central Conservatory of Music middle school in Beijing before studying at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, National University of Singapore, under renowned cellist Qin Li-Wei. He later continued his studies at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin with internationally acclaimed cellist Claudio Bohórquez.
An active participant in international music festivals, Jiaqi has appeared at the Liangzhu Music Festival in Hangzhou, Qingdao Cello Festival, the Mendelssohn Festival alongside legendary cellist Arto Noras, and at Kronberg Academy under the guidance of Professor Jens Peter Maintz.
As principal and associate principal cellist, Jiaqi toured Europe with the Central Conservatory of Music Youth Symphony Orchestra under conductor Li Xincao. He was also invited to participate in the 2017 Seiji Ozawa Opera Project and the 2019 Seiji Ozawa Chamber Music Project, both touring in Japan. In addition, he joined Daniel Harding and the YMCG Orchestra on tour across the Greater Bay Area.
Beyond the classical stage, Jiaqi has collaborated with Singapore Ballet, Jiangsu Television, CCTV Music Channel, and the Aranya Theatre Festival, actively exploring interdisciplinary artistic expression through music.
Jiaqi currently performs on a Giuseppe Scarampella cello made in Florence in 1868, generously provided by the Rin Collection Singapore.