Chinese Pianist Yuan Zhou is recognized for her poetic touch, technical finesse, and insightful interpretations across a wide range of repertoire. Whether performing as a soloist, chamber musician, or collaborative pianist, she brings depth, clarity, and a compelling musical voice to the stage. Her performances—described as “refined yet bold”—reflect a broad musical sensibility shaped by rigorous study, international experience, and a deep commitment to storytelling through sound.

An avid chamber musician and collaborative pianist, Yuan's collaborative work spans vocal, instrumental, and chamber, reflecting her adaptability and communicative artistry, earning a reputation for her versatility and attentiveness. She has performed in venues across the United States and China and has been invited to prestigious festivals, including the 2023 Bowdoin International Music Festival (Piano Fellow), 2022 Taos School of Music (Young Artist), and 2019 PianoSummer at New Paltz. Her artistic development has been guided through work with renowned musicians such as Robert McDonald, Ingrid Fliter, Stephen Hough, and Kirill Gerstein.

Originally from Chongqing, China, Yuan is the First Prize winner of the 8th Moscow International Frederick Chopin Competition for Young Pianists (China region), where she was also honored with special awards for Outstanding Performance and Best Waltz Interpretation.

Yuan holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music, where she studied with Kevin Kenner and served as a teaching assistant in both solo and collaborative piano. She also earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music, studying under Antonio Pompa-Baldi and receiving the Sadie Zellen Piano Prize and the Arthur Loesser Memorial Award.

Equally dedicated to education and ensemble performance, Yuan has served on the piano faculty of The Music Settlement in Cleveland and currently teaches in the Seattle area through Puget Sounds Piano School.