Yiqi Chen

Born in Shenzhen, China, in 2007. Since 2024, he studies at the Reina Sofía School of Music's Aline Foriel-Destezet Cello Chair with professor Ivan Monighetti. He has been granted a scholarship by Fundación Albéniz.

He began his cello education at the age of seven with Gu Enwei and continued at the Beijing Central Music Conservatory with professor Yu Mingqing. Since 2022, he studies at the Gnessin Moscow Special School of Music by recommendation of David Genringas and invited by Vasily Stepanov.

Additionally, he has attended masterclasses by professors Ivan Monighetti, Lynn Harrell, Ronald Leonard, Laurence Lesser, Hans Jensen, Maciej Kulakowski, Matti Rossi, Philip Muller, Michel Strauss y Michaela Fukacova.

In 2023, he performed at the Sviatoslav Knushevitsky International Cello Competition, at the Tchaikovsky Music Conservatory's Hall in the framework of Master Oleg Kagan Memorial and at the VIVACELLO International Festival in Moscow.

He has won the Grand Prix Virtuoso in Bonn (First Prize and Special Prize for Young Talents, 2020), the Gustav Mahler Prize in Prague (First Prize and Director's Prize of the Gustav Mahler Academy, 2021), the Mirovinsky International String Competition (Second Prize, 2022), and the Kunushewitsky International Competition (Silver Prize in the adult category, Moscow 2023)), among other awards.

As a student of the School, he is part of the Pérez-Llorca Haydn and the Turina quartets.