2024 Radda Rise International String Competition
Benxu Yang
Second Prize
•Category 1
Benxu Yang, a talented 8-year-old cellist hailing from Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China, has already made impressive strides in his musical journey. Now based in British Columbia, Canada, Benxu began studying the cello in June 2022 and has flourished under the expert guidance of his current teacher, Ni Tao, from the New England Conservatory.
Despite his young age and relatively recent introduction to the instrument, Benxu has already achieved significant success in the competitive music scene. His accolades include the Gold Prize in the Junior Artist II Category at the 2022 "Universal Stars" Competition, First Prize in the Prodigy Category at the 2022 Vivaldi International Music Competition, First Place in the Young Musicians Category at the 2022 Rocky Mountain Strings Competition, and the Gold Prize in the Young Talent Category at the 2023 London Young Musician Competition. His performances have been praised for their expressiveness, dynamic phrasing, and authoritative bow technique.
Benxu's love for the cello was sparked by the instrument's beautiful sound, which he first experienced during a live performance. For him, music is a profound means of expressing emotions and bringing joy. He particularly enjoys playing pieces that tell a story, and his favorite composer is J.S. Bach, whose works he finds both beautiful and enjoyable to perform.
Outside of music, Benxu is passionate about learning languages and is currently studying French. He is also an avid Rubik's Cube enthusiast, boasting a personal best time of 13 seconds for solving a 3x3 cube. As he continues to develop his musical talents, Benxu aspires to become a world-renowned cellist, performing in major concerts around the globe and sharing his music with audiences far and wide.