A pianist whose performances burst with character and personality, Qiaochuhan Li (李翘楚涵) is dedicated to exploring the intersections of music and cultural studies while bringing the music she loves to every possible corner in communities across the globe. 

An avid chamber musician, Qiaochuhan has performed repertoire ranging from J. S. Bach’s Concerto for Four Harpsichords to George Crumb’s Vox Balaenae. As a member of the Toba Trio with violinist Ben Frueh and cellist David Smith, she was a national finalist in the 2026 Music Teacher National Association Chamber Music Competition. During her undergraduate studies, Qiaochuhan served as an Accompanying Fellow, collaborating extensively with her instrumental and vocal colleagues in recitals and opera productions. Beyond the concert halls, Qiaochuhan frequently engages audiences in communities such as retirement homes, public schools, prisons, and libraries. Her past summer festival participation includes Taconic Music Chamber Music Intensive, Adamant Music School, Rocky Ridge Music, and Decoda Chamber Music Festival. This summer, Qiaochuhan will attend Madeline Island Chamber Music as a piano fellow. In addition to her performance work, Qiaochuhan received honors for her undergraduate thesis “‘Recomposing’ Madama Butterfly: Opera as Global Self-Representation in Mo Zhou’s Contemporary Reimagining.”

Born in Ürümqi, China, Qiaochuhan began her musical journey as the drum major in her kindergarten marching band. She started piano lessons at age four, but her music training was forced to take a pause in middle school due to heavy academic demands. After moving to the United States in 2017, she performed as a percussionist and keyboardist in her high school band and rediscovered her passion for music through collaboration. In high school, Qiaochuhan received mentorships from Julie and Neil Freebern, Asiya Korepanova, and Christopher Lewis. Qiaochuhan will soon graduate from Lawrence University with a Bachelor of Music in piano performance and a Bachelor of Arts in East Asian Studies and Global Studies. At Lawrence, she studied piano with Anthony Padilla and chamber music with Catherine Kautsky, Michael Mizrahi, Samantha George, Wen-Lei Gu, Kivie Cahn-Lipman, and Craig Jordan. In the fall of 2026, Qiaochuhan will begin her Master’s studies in chamber music at the Tianjin Juilliard School on the Tianjin Juilliard Fellowship under the tutelage of Xiaohan Wang.

In her free time, Qiaochuhan enjoys alpine skiing, running, being obsessed with coffee and Chinese classical poetry.