YAO LIN

accompanist

Dr. Yao (Lina) Lin graduated from the University of Maryland (UMD) with a Doctor of

Musical Arts (DMA) degree, majoring in piano performance under the guidance of Larissa

Dedova. Her journey in music began in her early years, having studied with internationally

renowned Soviet piano educators A.A. Krasotov and A.M. Koncharov. Thanks to her

exceptional musical talent, she gained admission to the Odessa National Music Academy in

Ukraine, where she earned both a Bachelor's and Master's degree, and received the

esteemed "Red Diploma."

Dr. Lin has garnered numerous awards in international piano competitions, including the

3rd National Piano Competition in Klaipeda, Lithuania, the International Recital

Competition "Southern Express" in Yalta, Ukraine, the Northern Illinois University Concerto

Competition, and the American International Piano Competition in New York City.

She has performed in various prestigious music venues, including UMD's Gildenhorn Music

Hall, Boutell Memorial Music Hall in Illinois, Carnegie Hall, Thrasher Opera House in Green

Lake, Wisconsin, Singletary Music Hall in Lexington, Kentucky, the Kennedy Center, the

Arts Club, and the Jewish Community Center in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Lin has served as a member of the judging panel for the Chicago Chinese Music Festival

Youth Piano Competition and has conducted numerous piano performances and

masterclasses across various cities in China in 2012, alongside Professor William

Goldenberg. In December 2017, the Maryland State Senate honored her with an official

citation signed by Senator Susan Lee, in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the

arts in Maryland. In 2018, she served as the piano accompanist for Wang Liping's work in

the DMV area. In 2023, she served as the piano accompanist for a mass choir of a thousand

people on World Culture Day. She is an active member of the Friday Morning Club, where

she performs solo concerts in the Washington, D.C. area. Additionally, her music studio has

achieved tremendous success, with her students winning numerous awards in

international, national, and state-level piano competitions. In 2022, she founded the Grace

Music School in Germantown, Maryland.

Dr. Lin is fluent in three languages: Russian, English, and Chinese.