KUACMI BOARD
KUACMI Board
2024-2025
President: Dan (Lori) Luo, pianist&musicologist
Vice President: Xinyue Gu, pianist
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Yi-Yang Chen, Associate Professor of Piano, University of Kansas
Academic Director: Matheus Romanetto, sociologist&composer&musician
Staff: Linlin He, Ruizhe Zhong, Xinni Liu
PAST BOARD MEMBERS
Program Coordinator 2021-2022: Luke Heller, percussionist
Vice President 2021-2022: Tiffany Ta, musicologist
Staff 2021-2022, President 2023 (spring): Dr. Xiaohui Yan, violinist
Staff 2021-2023, Vice president 2023: Dr. Danlei Yang, pianist&harpsichordist
In alphabetical order according to by last name
BIOS
Dan (Lori) Luo, President
Dan (Lori) Luo, a DMA candidate in Piano Performance at the University of Kansas, studying under Steinway Artist Dr. Yiyang Chen. She began her piano journey at the age of three with Li Mei at the Xinghai Conservatory and further studied with renowned pianists such as Steven Spooner, Eric Zuber, Michael Kirkendoll, and Michael Bauer (harpsichord). Holding dual master's degrees in Piano Performance (U.S.) and Music Pedagogy (China), she combines expertise in Western classical and Chinese traditional music. A recipient of multiple awards, including National and First-Class Academic Scholarships in China and the KUSOM Scholarship, Dan (Lori) is a prize winner in numerous international competitions, such as second place in 2023 Orbifold Global Music Competition, first place in 2023 Charleston International Classical Music Competition, second place in 2022 Asia International Piano Grand Prix, and second place in 2021 KMTA Piano Competition. Passionate about teaching, she has been recognized as an excellent piano instructor at the China National Industrial Base and the Internationaler Deutscher Irmler-Klavierwettbewerb. Beyond performance and teaching, Dan (Lori) is a multidisciplinary research explorer. Her scholarly work includes five papers indexed in the China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, including those in the Chinese Social Sciences Citation Index. One of her research papers, exploring the interaction between music and geography, was selected for the Ministry of Education's Humanities and Social Science fund projects and published in a monograph. Her research was further acknowledged when she won second prize in China's National Research Competition on Music Pedagogy. She is a contributor to Chinese music theory pedagogy design for Oxford University Press's forthcoming textbook "Music Theory Matters" (2026). Additionally, Dan (Lori) has presented her research and performances at various academic conferences, including the 2024 "New Perspectives in East Asian Studies" Forum, the 2023 KMTA Conference, the 2023-2024 ACMI International Conference, the Lingnan Traditional Music Research Conference, and the Greater Bay Music Higher Education Conference in China. When away from music, Dan (Lori) finds joy in tasting good food😊.
Xinyue Gu, Vice President
Xinyue Gu, a Doctoral student of Musical Arts in Piano Performance from the University of Kansas School of Music, studying under Yiyang Chen. In 2023, She completed a Master of Music in Piano Performance at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music under the tutelage of Emile Naoumoff. Throughout Xinyue’s piano study, she has received numerous prestigious awards. In 2021, they secured First Place at the Ageio International Piano Competition in Canada. They earned Third Place at the 3rd American Classical Pianist International Piano Competition in the United States in 2020 and Second Prize at the 9th Steinway & Sons Competition in Germany in 2019. They were also awarded the Chopin Prize at the 9th Macao Piano Competition in 2018, First Prize at the 7th Hong Kong International Piano Competition in 2017, and First Prize at the Minnesota Piano Concerto Competition in the United States in 2017. Performance Experience as a seasoned performer, Xinyue has been featured in solo recitals across the globe. In 2022, she was selected as an outstanding pianist at the Antonio Vivaldi Music Festival, performing at the Anton Vivaldi Concert Hall in Vienna, Austria. In 2018, they performed Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No.1 with the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra at Xinghai Concert Hall in Guangzhou, China. Her performance history includes a recital at Gasteig Concert Hall in Munich, Germany, in 2017 as part of a cultural exchange event. In 2016, she was featured as an outstanding young pianist in China at the Steinway Concert Hall in Shanghai and performed in a Competition Winner’s Recital at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre in Hong Kong. Additionally, in 2014, She was selected to perform as a competition winner at Koerner Concert Hall in Toronto, Canada. Additional Experience beyond competitions and solo recitals, Xinyue is an active participant in international piano festivals and competitions. She has extensive experience performing solo and concerto repertoire with leading orchestras and are passionate about fostering cultural exchange through music. She also has strong experience in piano teaching, mentoring students of all levels worldwide for over six years.
Dr. Yi-Yang Chen, Faculty Advisor
Yi-Yang Chen shot onto the international stage with back-to-back victories in the 2018Sussex International Piano Competition and in 2017 at the Washington International and the Waring International Piano Competitions in addition to first prize awards at thePacific International Piano Competition and the MTNA National Young Artist Piano Competition. He has also received top prizes at the Hilton Head International PianoCompetition, The American Prize, UNISA International Piano Competition (South Africa), Kerikeri International Piano Competition (New Zealand), Seattle International PianoCompetition, Thailand International Piano Competition, San Jose International PianoCompetition, and the Chopin International Piano Competition in Hartford. Mr. Chen has performed on five continents in acclaimed venues including Carnegie Hall and LincolnCenter in New York, Melbourne Recital Centre, National Concert Hall in Taipei, BanffMusic Centre in Canada, ZK Matthews Great Hall in South Africa, and the Assembly Hallin Worthing, UK, and has appeared as soloist with the Worthing Symphony Orchestra, Brevard Music Center Orchestra, Avanti Orchestra, Eastman Philharmonic Orchestra, National Chinese Orchestra, and the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also performed at the Perlman Music Festival, Taos School of Music Summer Chamber Music Festival, Banff Music Centre, Music Academy of the West, Four Seasons WinterWorkshop, and the Brevard Music Center. A native of Taipei, Taiwan, Mr. Chen holds degrees from The Eastman School of Music (DMA, BM) and The Juilliard School (MM) where he studied with Douglas Humphreys, Robert McDonald, and Jerome Lowenthal, in addition to solo/chamber music studies with Itzhak Perlman, Emanuel Ax, and the Shanghai, Cleveland, and Guarneri String Quartets, to name a few. Mr. Chen is an assistant professor of piano at the University of Kansas and is a member of MTNA and the College Music Society as well as Mu Phi Epsilon. At present, Mr. Chen is engaged in a recording project with the Champs Hill label (UK) to be released in 2023.
Matheus Romanetto, Academic Advisor
Matheus Romanetto is a Brazilian sociologist, composer, and musician. He is interested in the musicology and compositional potential of traditional forms – in particular Latin American, Asian, and Middle Eastern modal, polytonal, and microtonal varieties. His compositional work experiments with the development of non-Western instrumentation and materials within electroacoustic forms and procedures. He worked as artistic mentor and conductor for the Tübingen Folk Orchestra in Tübingen, Germany, and participated as arranger, guitarist, or drummer in several groups interested in traditional and contemporary popular forms, including a series of Ethno ensembles. His sociological work draws on the study of musical forms and practices as a source of intelligibility for other social formations, as well as cultural criticism. His most recent output includes the album Unterwelten (Capotheus, available on Soundcloud) and the book Critique and affirmation in Erich Fromm (Routledge, 2024).
Linlin He, Staff
Linlin He, a Chinese pianist, has performed in numerous public concerts across Asia, Europe, and the United States. Notable venues include the Esplanade Concert Hall and Victoria Concert Hall in Singapore; Monastery Church in Spain; Melartin Hall in Finland; Duke’s Hall in the United Kingdom; and the Lied Center in the United States. She has performed at the Deiá International Music Festival in Mallorca, Spain, the Orphio Concert Season in Holland, and the Salvatorberg Church in Aachen, Germany. Linlin has also performed Piano Concertos with the Euregio Chamber Orchestra under the batons of conductors Alfredo Oyágüez Montero and Anar Bramo in Germany. Her participation in international competitions has earned her accolades, including recognition at the III Danubia Talents Liszt Competition, Windsor International Piano Competition, the International Piano Competition Murai Grand Prix, and the Sergio Fiorentino Piano Competition. Linlin completed her bachelor’s degree at the Royal Academy of Music under the supervision of Mei-ting Sun. Since 2020, she has been further refining her artistry under the mentorship of pianist Xin Wang. She obtained her master’s degree at Indiana University, generously supported by the John Winston Spanier Classical Piano Fellowship Award and under the guidance of Norman Krieger. Currently, she is a first-year DMA student in piano performance at the University of Kansas, where she studies with Dr. Yi-Yang Chen, supported by a full scholarship, and serves as a graduate teaching assistant.
Ruizhe Zhong, Staff
Ruizhe Zhong is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in Piano Performance at the University of Kansas under the guidance of renowned piano educator Dr. Scott McBride Smith. He began studying piano at the age of seven with Qing Zhu, a distinguished teacher at the Xinghai Conservatory of Music Affiliated Middle School. In 2017, he was admitted to the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, where he completed his bachelor’s degree under the mentorship of esteemed pianists and educators Yingdi Sun and Gaode Dai. During his undergraduate studies, he was awarded the People’s Scholarship in recognition of his outstanding academic and artistic achievements. In 2021, Ruizhe continued his graduate studies at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, earning a master’s degree in Piano Performance under the guidance of acclaimed pianist and educator Hong Huang. Throughout his master’s program, he received multiple honors, including the Freshman Scholarship, the Academic Scholarship, and the BOC-SHCM Outstanding Graduate Student Scholarship, acknowledging his exceptional talent and dedication. His master’s studies focused on advanced repertoire and performance techniques, further refining both his artistry and academic expertise. Since 2024, Ruizhe has been pursuing his doctoral studies in the United States, continuing to develop his artistry under Dr. Scott McBride Smith. During his studies, he actively participated in numerous performances, showcasing his musical artistry through solo recitals and collaborative concerts. He has also excelled in many piano competitions, earning top prizes in prestigious events such as the KMTA Piano Competition, the Santa Cecília International Piano Competition (China Region), the AMIGDALA International Music Competition and the Odin International Piano Competition. Through his doctoral studies, Ruizhe remains committed to excellence in piano performance, academic research, and piano pedagogy.
Xinni Liu, Staff
Xinni Liu, a pianist and pedagogue from Shenzhen, China, is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance and Pedagogy at the University of Kansas under the guidance of Dr. Priscila Navarro. She holds a Master of Music in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and a Bachelor of Music from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. Xinni began playing piano at age 6. In 2014, she moved abroad to study at Idyllwild Arts Academy, where she started performing, accompanying and teaching. As a performer, she has given solo recitals in California, Michigan, and Scotland, and has collaborated with singers, instrumentalists and dancers in chamber music concerts. She has also performed piano concertos with orchestras as a soloist in Italy and the U.S. Since high school, Xinni has participated in master classes with renowned artists such as Caroline Oltmanns, Catherine Kautsky, and Sara Davis Buechner, further enhancing her musical expertise. In addition to her performances, Xinni is passionate about teaching and has experience working with students of different ages and skill levels. As a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of Kansas, she teaches group piano class and works with students from the community school. Her teaching experience also includes internships at secondary schools in Glasgow and contributions to Junior Conservatoire at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. She is also dedicated to volunteering with programs that provide music education to schools in rural areas of China. Her commitment to pedagogy and fostering an inclusive learning environment lies in the heart of her teaching philosophy. Xinni strives to nurture the next generation of musicians while enriching her own professional journey. Her academic achievements, such as receiving the James B. Angell Scholar Award at the University of Michigan, reflect her distinction in both performance and pedagogy. Aside from music, she enjoys travelling.