Zifan Ye

Pianist Zifan Ye was born in 2000 in Inner Mongolia and received his first piano lessons at the age of five. He commenced his professional studies three years later with Xi You at the Conservatory of Music in Beijing during which he was selected to play in various masterclasses of Vladimir Ashkenazy, Michel Béroff, Andrea Bonatta, Boris Berman, Gary Graffman, Krzysztof Jablonski, Peter Lang, Yong Hi Moon, Leonel Morales, Menahem Pressler, Piotr Paleczny, and Paul Badura-Skoda. Additionally, he was supported by the "Edifier Foundation" for many years and is supported by the Patenschaftensstipendium HMTMH foundation today.

Praised as an “extraordinary pianist” by China's most influential music magazine, Journal of the People's Music, Ye has performed more than 40 solo and orchestral recitals across Europe and Asia over the last few years, collaborating with the Kassel Uni Symphony Orchestra, Torun Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra of the Central Conservatory of Music, Tianjin Symphony Orchestra, and Sichuan Symphony Orchestra.

Zifan has also won prizes at many international competitions, this year (2022) taking Third Prize at the Grieg International Piano Competition, where he was the youngest prize winner; Second Prize at Zukunftsklang; and the Silver Medal at the Carles and Sofia competition.  In prior years he has also won the Gundlach Musikpreis in Hannover; First Prize in the 23rd International Piano Competition “Pietro Argento”; First Prize in the 8th International Piano Competition María Herrero; First Prize in the French International Piano Competition; and Second Prize in the “Golden Bell Award” in China among many others.

Zifan currently resides in Germany and continues his graduate music studies at the Hanover University of Music, Drama, and Media with Gerrit Zitterbart and Arie Vardi. He was selected for Deutsche Musikleben Stiftung as an ambassador and sponsored musician from 2019 through 2023.