BIOGRAPHY
Ms. Lily Cai, originally from Guangzhou, China, started her piano studies at the age of four with Ms. Meide Huang, the principal pianist of the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra. She has passed the ABRSM Dip ABRSM and won the silver medal in the 2012 Tokyo International Piano Competition and the bronze medal in the 2014 International Keyboard Odyssey and Festival.
Ms. Cai is an active collaborative pianist and chamber musician, primarily performing in North America and China. During her time in Pittsburgh, PA, she performed with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater and at student recitals at Duquesne University. Additionally, she has participated in masterclasses with pianists Barbara Nissman, Shiela Kibbe, Liza Stepanova, Dr. Chi-Chen Wu, and the Anderson and Roe Piano Duo.
As an experienced piano instructor, Ms. Lily started her teaching career in 2010 and has over ten years of teaching experience. She has taught private piano lessons to a wide range age of students, particularly at the beginner level. Ms. Lily has experience using the Faber Piano Adventure, Music Tree Method, and ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) exam. She received her Suzuki training with Kiki Barley in Pittsburgh, PA. Her students have earned good grades in ABRSM exams in both performance and theory, and some have won prizes in the Hong Kong International Open Piano Competition.
Additionally, she worked as a teaching assistant at Duquesne University, PA, providing piano classes and private coaching for music major students. Ms. Lily worked-studied as an educational assistant at the Pittsburgh Opera while she was a work-study student there. During this time, she completed and published the study guide of the contemporary opera "The Long Walk" for workshops held by the Director of Education, Dr. Marilyn Egan, of Pittsburgh Opera.
Ms. Lily received her Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance from Colorado State University, CO, where she studied under pianist and previous piano chair Dr. Janet Landreth and Accompany Director Dr. Timothy Burns. She also pursued her Master's and Artist Diploma in Piano Performance with an emphasis in Collaborative Piano at Duquesne University, where she studied under pianist and Dean of Mary Pappert School of Music, David Allen Wehr, and pianist Kenneth Burky.