A Young Steinway Artist, the Chinese pianist Hechengzi Li (Chengzi), was featured on the cover of the World of Music magazine and the cover of Musical Instrumental Magazine, described as “ the rising star, the genuine and passionate storyteller through music.”        

           Beginning her piano studies at the age of two, Chengzi was the grand prize winner in the toddler-group of Liu Shikun International Piano Competition at the age of three. Chengzi was introduced as a music prodigy on the cover of Eastern Airline Magazine at just five years old. In 2019, Chengzi’s first solo album performing the works of Scriabin, Stravinsky, and Chopin was released internationally by STARSING Media Group.  While receiving top reviews from news reports such as Xi’an Music Weekly, New York Weekly, Chengzi was presented on headline features on multiple media websites such as Sohu and Tencent News.

Chengzi began winning international piano competitions at an early age. After wining the grand prize at Hongkong International Piano Competition at the age of three, at the age of five, she was awarded First Prize at the Shaanxi Provincial Instrumental Music Competition. At eleven, she was admitted with advanced placement to the Piano Department of the Middle School affiliated with the Xi’an Conservatory of Music, where she continued her studies under the guidance of Professor Zhuangzhuang Li. At twelve, she won the Gold Prize in the Greater China Region of the 30th “Smetana” International Piano Competition. She later moved to the United States and has since received First Prizes in numerous international competitions. In the summer of 2023 alone, Chengzi earned over ten First Prizes and Special Awards at major competitions, and made her debut at the world-renowned Carnegie Hall in New York City.

Chengzi Li has performed in many of the world’s leading concert venues, including Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall in New York City, Peter Jay Sharp Theater, Merkin Hall, Xi’an Concert Hall, Xi’an Poly Grand Theatre, Henan Art Center, Jiaozuo Concert Hall, Bösendorfer Hall in Salzburg, the Gstaad Festival Concert Hall in Switzerland, and the Royal Palace Concert Hall of Gödöllő in Budapest. Having toured in China performing solo recitals and being featured as a soloist with the Xi’an Symphony Orchestra, in 2021 Chengzi became the youngest signed solo artist to ShaanXi Symphony Orchestra. Chengzi is also featured as soloist with major orchestras such as Gstaad Festival Orchestra, Danube Symphony Orchestra and more. Chengzi is also highly active in chamber music performances. She is the artist from the piano trio group Trio Ivoire and the duo group Synergy Duo. Both groups have been performing actively in the US since 2022. Also interested in contemporary music, Chengzi’s duo Group Synergy Duo toured in the US and gave a recital program consisting of an all-contemporary program in 2023. Chengzi premiered her own composition, “Inside an Unreal Forest,” at New York City’s Merkin Hall in 2015. While frequently premiering composer’s works, Chengzi has also often collaborated and performed with AXIOM; SYZYGY in Dallas; the FOCUS Festival at The Juilliard School premier living composers’ works.

Chengzi has served as a jury member of multiple piano competitions, including 2021 Youth International Piano Competition (ShaanXi), 2023 SIPC Singapore International Piano Competition, and 2023 MGNS European International Music Competition and more. In 2017, Chengzi was also invited to be the image ambassador of the International Gaibairi Piano Competition. In 2026, Chengzi has become the president of MTNA ( Music Teacher National Association) in UNT chapter. Because of her dedication in working with young rising musicians who are passionate to hone their craft, Chengzi has worked as a teaching artist at multiple organizations giving master classes and lecture recitals, such as being the associate professor at Globe Association of Music Education; Shaanxi Musicians Association, Music Teachers National Association in USA and more.  In 2021 Chengzi held her online lessons and master classes across China and participated as guest lecturer at multiple online courses such as “ Debussy,  in memory of birth 160th year, lectures and concerts” in Xi’an. In the 2024–25 season, Chengzi continues to expand her artistic presence with summer intensive master class Marathons, often featuring 6 series of Master classes led by Chengzi in One day.

            Pursuing her deep interest in the topic of the art of interpretations, Chengzi had publications in magazines such as  “The World of Music,” “ Frontiers in Art Researches,”The Frontiers of Society science and Technology” and more. In 2022, Chengzi joined the faculty of Future Music Academy. At the same year, she released her second album ,“Bloom,” from her “Cheng” Record Series.Chengzi’s performances have gained praise from media outlets and were presented on headlines features on multiple websites and magazines such as New York weekly Magazine, Canvasrebal Magazine, Music and Stars Magazine, Teasant News, Xi’an Worldy Cover, Beijing Music Weekly, Artdaily, Shanxi Music World, Xian Evening News, Xian News Network, Tencent News, SOHU, Westerm Net, and more. As well as famous music critics and journalists such as Shimin Zhao, Anchao Wang, Qi Meng and more.

  Chengzi is an artist of The Artemisia Foundation and M.U.S.I.C - Stars in the Classics, a foundation ‘dedicated to presenting extraordinarily gifted pianists in major concert venues’ and ‘providing opportunities for emerging, world-class musicians’ . A recipient of the Gucci Foundation Scholarship, in 2015, she was accepted to Juilliard’s college division exceptionally at the age of 16, studying with Sergei Babayan, and having previously studied in the Pre-College division at Juilliard with Matti Raekallio and Hung-kuan Chen. In 2021 and 2023, Chengzi was admitted with full scholarship to Cleveland Institute of Music and Southern Methodist University. In the Sumer of 2023, as a winner of over ten different competitions, over dozens of different special awards, including the winner of Manhattan International Piano Competition and winner of Ivo Pogorelich Award, Chengzi had just made her debut in Carnegie in July, 2023. Chengzi has two Artist Diploma degrees from CIM and SMU, and now pursuing DMA at University of North Texas, she studies with Sergei Babayan and Vladimir Viardo.