Youmei Cai

Youmei Cai is an American-Chinese classical pianist who is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Connecticut studying with Dr. Angelina Gadeliya and is a graduate teaching assistant. She studied piano performance and music education/pedagogy in Mannes School of music for undergraduate and master program. She started learning piano when she was 4 in Japan, and was accepted into the Central Conservatory of Music in China at the age of 9. In 2011, she was invited to participate in the Curtis Institute of Music program in the United States for further piano studies. Youmei studied with world-known pianists, such as Solomon Mikowsky, Meng Chieh Liu, Ethan Dong, Takatsu Ayako, Eteri Andjaparidze, etc.

Youmei had won many competitions under the influence of these teachers, such as Chopin Memorial Prizes International piano competition, Kaufman Music Center International Piano Competition, Australian Classical Music Competition, etc. She has performed in many different countries and various places, such as Carnegie Hall, Suntory Hall, Steinway Hall, Field Concert Hall, John C. Borden Auditorium, Morse recital hall, etc. She has also collaborated with musicians such as Joan La Barbara, Audrey Axinn, Gary Graffman, Alexander Kobrin, etc.

Youmei has worked as a piano teacher since 2013, and has taught many students of different ages and abilities. She was a faculty in Mannes school of Music with secondary college students. She is also teaching at private schools such as the Kaufman music center, Polyprep school, in New York City with K-12 grades students. She is fluent in speaking both Chinese(Mandarin) and English. She also teaches systematically with piano skills and techniques in order to build up the proper learning system, as well as music theory, ear training, and sight-reading skills.