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NIU piano grad plays Carnegie Hall

May 27, 2013
Yao Lin

Yao Lin

Yao Lin came to NIU from China in 2009 to study piano performance with William Goldenberg, a Distinguished Teaching Professor in the School of Music.

Tonight, the 25-year-old will make her Carnegie Hall debut in New York City.

Her invitation to take the stage of one of the world’s most storied venues comes from winning second prize in both the concerto and solo contests of the American Protégé International Piano and String Competition this year.

“I’m very excited to perform in one of the most famous concert halls in the world. I feel even more excited that I’m going to see the the Statue of Liberty on this trip. I think that this country’s music cannot be so prosperous today without her spirit of freedom,” said Lin, who received her master’s degree and performer’s certificate earlier this month.

Lin will play a world premiere of “Evening Song of a Fishing Boat,” written by well-known Chinese composer Jianzhong Wang, who dedicated this work to Goldenberg.

The Memorial Day concert is a pinnacle of a musical journey that began when Lin was 8.

T I think that music is the best way to express our emotion and the feeling of love,” she said. “My most favorite part of playing the piano is that I can have conversations with the best souls when I study so many great composers’ work. I am able to communicate with them, listen to their hearts and try my best to carry on their souls and minds to the people.”