The Taiwan International Cello Festival 2026 brings together distinguished international masters to present cello treasures shaped by the meeting of Eastern and Western cultures. The outstanding lineup features ZHAO Jing, First Prize winner of the 2005 ARD International Music Competition in Munich; French cellist Victor JULIEN-LAFERRIÉRE, laureate of the 2017 Queen Elisabeth Competition; rising Polish star Krzysztof MICHALSKI, Second Prize winner of the 2024 ARD Competition; Japanese cellist Yo KITAMURA, First Prize winner of the 2024 Enescu Competition; Taiwanese cellists CHIEN Pi-chin, CHEN Nan-cheng and HUANG Ying-yuan; French cellist Franck BERNÉDE; Switzerland-based rising talent CHEN Liang-yu and pianist LU Yi-Chih. Together they perform timeless classics and contemporary gems from centuries of cello repertoire.

  Program  

TAN Dun: Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon Sonata for Violoncello and Piano (2 movements)

Francis POULENC: Cello Sonata, FP 143 (1 movement)

Dai FUJIKURA: Excerpts from Nobody's Nothings for cello solo

Benjamin BRITTEN: Excerpts from Cello Sonata in C Major, Op.65

LI Yuan-Chen: Excerpts from Twelve Zodiacs-When East Meets West for Cello Ensemble

Volkmar ANDREAE: The Song of Sorrow from Li-Tai-Pe, Op.37 (transcription for cello octet)

Gustav MAHLER: Von der Jugend from Das Lied von der Erde (transcription for cello octet)

Giacomo PUCCINI: Madame Butterfly Suite for 8 Cellos

  More  

Moments of Resonance｜2026/10/11(Sun.)17:30-18:45 Recital Hall    

Cello Masterclass｜2026/10/12(Mon. )12:00-15:00  Recital Hall      

For more information, please visit the TWICF website

  Creative and Production Team  

Founder & Artistic Director｜CHIEN Pi-chin

Artistic Co-Director｜Fabian MÜLLER

Cellist｜ZHAO Jing, Victor JULIEN-LAFERRIÉRE, Krzysztof MICHALSKI, Yo KITAMURA, CHIEN Pi-chin, CHEN Nan-cheng, Franck BERNÉDE, HUANG Ying-yuan, CHEN Liang-yu

Pianist｜LU Yi-Chih

Sponsor｜Chen-Yung Foundation

  Artists Introduction  

Artistic Director, Cellist｜CHIEN Pi-chin

A sought-after, internationally active soloist and chamber musician. She has performed in major concert venues around the world. She appears as a soloist on recordings with the Philharmonia Orchestra London and the Zurich Chamber Orchestra under the direction of David ZINMAN, Ruben GAZARIAN and CHIEN Wen-Pin. CHIEN Pi-Chin has performed and recorded world premieres of a number of violoncello concertos and chamber music works, including several compositions dedicated to her. She is the artistic director of the "Swiss Music Night" concert series in Taiwan and of the "Confluence Music Festival" in Zurich, Switzerland.

Artistic Co-Director｜Fabian MÜLLER

Fabian MÜLLER is one of the leading Swiss composers of his generation. His works were premiered by great musicians of our time and were heard in the prestigious halls of the world and the Festivals. He was awarded the "Zollikon Art Prize," etc., and in 2021, his opera Eiger was premiered, based on a libretto by the Swiss writer Tim KROHN and commissioned by the Biel-Solothurn Theater in Switzerland. In addition to his work as a composer, he is interested in folk music. For ten years (1991-2002), he worked on the publication of the Hanny CHRISTEN Collection, a ten-volume folk music anthology with over 10,000 tunes from the 19th century.

Cellist｜ZHAO Jing

Cellist Jing Zhao, First Prize winner of the 2005 ARD International Music Competition in Munich, is recognized as one of the most versatile cellists of her generation. She has performed with leading conductors and orchestras worldwide and is a devoted chamber musician, collaborating frequently with artists such as Martha Argerich. Jing studied in China, Japan, and Berlin with David Geringas and received guidance from Seiji Ozawa, Yo-Yo Ma, and Mstislav Rostropovich. She performs on a 1711 Matteo Goffriller cello.

Cellist｜Victor JULIEN-LAFERRIÉRE

Victor Julien-Laferrière, First Prize winner of the 2017 Queen Elisabeth Competition, is hailed as one of France’s leading cellists. He has performed worldwide with top orchestras and conductors, appeared at major festivals and halls, and is an active recitalist and chamber musician. Founder of the Consuelo Orchestra, he has also recorded acclaimed albums including works by Dutilleux, Dusapin, Dvořák, Martinu, Shostakovich, Rachmaninov, Denisov, Schubert, and Beethoven. He studied with René Benedetti, Roland Pidoux, Heinrich Schiff, and Clemens Hagen, and plays a Domenico Montagnana cello with a Dominique Peccatte bow.

Cellist｜Krzysztof MICHALSKI

Krzysztof Michalski, Second Prize winner of the 2024 ARD International Cello Competition, has also earned top prizes at several major international competitions. He studies at the CNSMDP under Edgar Moreau and Cyril Lacrouts and has performed worldwide with leading orchestras and at prestigious festivals. An active chamber musician, he collaborates with renowned artists and is set to record his debut album in 2025. Krzysztof plays a 1785 Nicola Bergonzi cello with an Edwin Clément bow.

Cellist｜Yo KITAMURA

Yo Kitamura, born in Japan in 2004, is a prize-winning cellist, claiming top honors at the 2024 George Enescu and Pablo Casals Competitions, the 29th Johannes Brahms Competition, and the 92nd Japan Music Competition. He studied with Jens-Peter Maintz, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, and others, and has performed worldwide with renowned orchestras and conductors. Kitamura debuted at age 9, earning critical acclaim, and has received numerous awards and scholarships. He plays a 1668 “Casini” cello on loan from Ueno Fine Chemicals.

Cellist｜CHEN Nan-cheng

CHEN Nan-cheng, praised for his “beautiful tone” and engaging performances, is Principal Cellist of the Evergreen Symphony Orchestra and co-founder of the New Asia Chamber Music Society. An avid chamber musician, he has performed with leading ensembles and orchestras worldwide, including the Simón Bolívar Orchestra, Vienna International Orchestra, and National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra. A Juilliard graduate pursuing a doctorate at CUNY, Nan-cheng brings warmth, artistry, and charisma to every stage.

Cellist｜Franck BERNÉDE

Franck Bernède, born in 1958 in Dijon, France, is a celebrated cellist with extensive international performance experience across Europe, the U.S., Japan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Taiwan. Trained under Alain Meunier, Reine Flachot, Arto Noras, Christophe Coin, and William Christie, he has performed with leading Baroque ensembles including Concert des Nations, Les Arts Florissants, and Il Seminario Musicale. Based in Asia for fifteen years, he has taught, given masterclasses, and directed Baroque projects in Taiwan. Franck also conducts ethnomusicological research in the Himalayas and is founder of the Singhini Research Center.

Cellist｜HUANG Ying-yuan

Born in Taoyuan, Taiwan, HUANG Ying Yuan is an accomplished cellist recognized for her versatile artistry and cross-disciplinary collaborations. She studied at the Robert Schumann Hochschule Düsseldorf and Hochschule für Musik Detmold. Huang has performed as soloist with orchestras including Taipei Symphony and Evergreen Symphony, toured internationally, and premiered contemporary works such as WANG I-Yu’s Cello Concerto. A passionate chamber musician, she co- founded the Golden Piano Trio and appears at major festivals. She has released solo albums, contributes to chamber music collections, and currently serves as Assistant Professor at the National Taiwan University of Arts.

Cellist｜CHEN Liang-yu

CHEN Liang-yu, a rising cellist from Taiwan, studies at the Hochschule für Musik Basel under Prof. Danjulo Ishizaka. He trained with renowned teachers including Yi-Ping Huang, Ben Hong, Hee Young Lim, and Jens Peter Maintz. Liang has served as Principal Cellist of the National Symphony Youth Orchestra Taiwan, earning multiple Outstanding Student awards, and participated in international exchanges with the German Youth Orchestra. He also holds 2nd Prize in the National Student Music Competition and has performed with the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra.

Pianist｜LU Yi-Chih

LU Yi-chih, born in Taipei, is a celebrated Taiwanese pianist known for virtuosity and advocacy of Taiwanese composers. He studied in Vienna and Berlin, winning top prizes including the Cziffra Prize and 13 international awards. Lu debuted at Carnegie Hall in 2022 and has performed across Europe, the US, and Asia with orchestras including Vienna Radio Symphony and NTSO. A skilled arranger and composer, he transforms Taiwanese folk songs for piano and ensemble. He is Assistant Professor and Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning at Taipei National University of the Arts.