Liyuan Xie ’22 Named First Associate Concertmaster of the Cleveland Orchestra

Violinist Liyuan Xie ’22 has been appointed the Cleveland Orchestra’s first associate concertmaster. 

Xie joined the Cleveland Orchestra as a second violinist in August 2023 and will begin his new appointment on June 29 at the start of the Blossom Music Festival. As associate concertmaster, he will hold the Virginia M. Linseth, PhD, Chair. 

Xie graduated from New England Conservatory with his Bachelor of Music in 2022. While at NEC, he studied with faculty member Miriam Fried. 

“I’ve always admired the polished and recognizable sound of The Cleveland Orchestra, especially that of its string section. Being a member of this ensemble is a dream come true,” Xie said. “Over the last several months, I’ve felt so welcomed and I’ve learned so much from my colleagues and from Franz Welser-Möst.”

Since his solo orchestral debut at age 11, Xie has collaborated regularly with the Shanghai Philharmonic, Shanghai Opera Orchestra, Shanghai Chamber Orchestra, Qingdao Symphony, Nanjing Philharmonic Orchestra, and many others. Recent concert engagements include performances of the Beethoven and Mendelssohn violin concertos with the Nanjing Philharmonic Orchestra, Bruch’s First Violin Concerto with the Brookline Symphony Orchestra, and the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto and J.S. Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos with the Apollo Ensemble of Boston.