Biography

Described as a “striking interpreter” who gives a “committed and heartfelt performance” by Musical America and The New York Times, pianist Fanya Lin has entranced audiences worldwide with her charismatic and fiery performances. Lin’s “mesmerizing performance” of Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini in UK was depicted as “a tornado had touched down through her body and lifted her, feathers fluttering, from the piano stool as she weighed into the keys.” Her orchestral reengagements include Utah Symphony, Savannah Philharmonic, The Jackson Symphony, Mississippi Valley Orchestra, and New Art Symphony.

An avid soloist, Fanya promotes classical music to the public by creating innovative concert programs and engages her audience by presenting interactive performances. Her solo recitals have been featured in numerous prestigious concert series, including the Schubert Club Musicians on the Rise, the Stecher and Horowitz Young Artist Series, and The Steinway Society of Western Pennsylvania. As a philanthropist, Fanya has collaborated with various non-profit organizations through fundraising galas and salon concerts to create access for education and promote mental illness awareness.

Fanya also dedicates herself to new music by performing with contemporary music organizations such as Focus and Axiom. Her recent projects include performance of Boulez Sur Incises for three harps, three pianos, and three percussionists, piano-duet concert featuring works by celebrated female composers Tania León, Gabriela Lena Frank, Chen Yi, and Kay He. Her work was featured in newly released albums Dan Asia: Ivory II and Metropolis: The Piano Music of Joshua Nichols by Summit Records.

As a chamber musician, Fanya has collaborated with world-class musicians including Noah Bendix-Balgley (concert master of the Berlin Philharmonic), Romie de Guise-Langlois (clarinetist of Lincoln Center’s Chamber Music Society), and Ta’u Pupu’a (tenor in major opera productions including Metropolitan Opera and San Francisco Opera). In 2020, Fanya and her colleague Dr. Daniel Linder formed the Lin-Linder Piano Duo and has been praised for their “strong combination” and ability to “create a satisfying experience” (Fanfare). Fanya also performs regularly with her Saxophone colleague Dr. Edward Goodman. Their EPs On Walls by Greg Simon and Phil Woods Sonata are recently released by Soundset Recordings.

A native of Taipei, Taiwan, Fanya is a top prizewinner of the Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition, Concours International de Piano France-Amériques, New York International Piano Competition, and Seattle International Piano Competition. Fanya earned her Doctoral Degree at the University of Minnesota under the guidance of Emerita Distinguished McKnight Professor Lydia Artymiw; her Master’s Degree at The Juilliard School with Professor Hung-Kuan Chen and Jerome Lowenthal; and her Bachelor’s Degree at Weber State University with Dr. Yu-Jane Yang. Currently, Dr. Fanya Lin is serving as the Associate Professor of Practice in Piano at the University of Arizona, where she teaches applied piano lessons, chamber music, piano literature, and the Yoga for Musicians course.