Biography
Violinist FangFang Li is an accomplished performer, arts administrator, and educator. She began her violin studies at the age of 4 under the guidance of her grandfather and father, later continuing her education with Wang Zhilong at the prestigious Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. Li made her solo debut with orchestra at 9 years old, performing the Mozart Violin Concerto No. 4. She has since won numerous competitions, including the Chinese National Musician's Association Competition. At 14, she was awarded a full scholarship to attend Idyllwild Arts Academy to further her study in the United States under Todor Pelev. During her senior year, she received a fellowship to the Aspen Music Festival and School, where she met her future mentor, Kurt Sassmannshaus. Li earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Violin Performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM).
As a professional violinist, Li has performed with many top orchestras under conductors such as Xian Zhang, Mark Gibson, Guy Victor Bordo, James Cassidy, and Paavo Järvi. An active chamber musician, she has performed in duos, piano trios, and string quartets across the United States and internationally. As a member of the Baur Quartet - CCM’s first Fellowship String Quartet in Residence, she performed chamber music recitals with the American String Quartet. The quartet was also selected as a resident artist for the Next Generation Music Festival, touring and performing with pianist Awadagin Pratt throughout central Pennsylvania.
Li's interest in arts administration developed during her graduate studies when her teacher founded the first international music festival in China. She served as the Associate Dean at this festival - the Great Wall International Music Academy in Beijing from 2006 to 2010. She also took part in developing the acclaimed violin teaching website, www.violinmasterclass.com, and was responsible for translating it into Chinese. In 2009, she was appointed Managing Director for the Starling Project Foundation in Cincinnati, where she successfully organized an international concert tour for the acclaimed Starling Chamber Orchestra to Salzburg, Austria.
As an experienced violin teacher who is passionate about nurturing musicians of all ages, Li holds teaching positions at Torrey Pines High School, Cathedral Catholic High School, and Notre Dame Academy. She is also on the violin faculty at the San Diego Suzuki School of Music. Prior to her current positions, she served as the Ensembles Administrator and Artistic Faculty for the San Diego Youth Symphony and Conservatory for six years. Before relocating to San Diego, Li taught at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music as a Graduate Teaching Assistant from 2005 to 2011. She directed the Sassmannshaus Tradition program and was a member of the violin and chamber music faculty at the Starling Preparatory String Project, a pre-college program at the University of Cincinnati. Li has been featured in interviews, including one with Janelle Gelfand from the Cincinnati Enquirer, and has served as a string judge at CCM’s Merit Festival Competition.
Li is a member of the Music Teachers Association and the Suzuki Association of the Americas, and serves on the board of the Northern San Diego Music Teachers Association of California.
