
BIO
Born in Anhui, China, Nan Ni began studying piano at the age of five and has captivated audiences with performances that combine intellectual depth and genuine expression. Described by the Boston Musical Intelligencer as “a confident, accurate, powerful, and articulate interpreter” with "limpid refinement", the Boston Globe commended her playing “with authority and delicate rubato".
Her accolades include First Prize at the 2022 Fou Ts’ong International Concerto Competition, First Prize at the Los Angeles Young Musician International Piano Competition, Third Prize at the Conero International Piano Competition, and Second Prize at the Shenzhen Piano Open Competition. She is also a three-time winner of the Piano Department Honors Competition at the New England Conservatory (NEC). Her achievements have also been recognized with prestigious awards such as the St.Botolph Club Foundation 2025 Emerging Artist Award, the Tan Family Grant Scholarship, the Shanghai Government Scholarship, the Niu Ende Piano Music Scholarship, and the Audience Award at the winners' concert.
As a soloist and avid chamber musician, Nan has performed widely throughout Asia, North America, and Europe. She has appeared at distinguished music festivals including Music@Menlo, the Ravinia Steans Institute, the Summer Academy Mozarteum in Salzburg, and the Music Academy of the West. In addition, she has collaborated with the Boston Ballet as guest solo pianist in Jerome Robbins’ Dances at a Gathering, an hour-long ballet set to the music of Chopin.
Nan’s musical journey began at the Music Middle School affiliated with the Shanghai Conservatory, where she studied for nine years under Natalia Filippova. She went on to earn her Bachelor’s degree in 2021 and her Master’s degree in 2023 from NEC, studying with Bruce Brubaker. Currently, she is pursuing the highly competitive Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree at NEC under the guidance of Bruce Brubaker and Alessio Bax.
In addition to her achievements as a pianist, Nan is an accomplished organist, studying with Thomas Handel at NEC. She has performed as a solo organist at the Church of the Covenant in Boston and collaborated with the NEC Concert Choir and Chamber Singers.
Beyond her musical pursuits, Nan is deeply passionate about ancient Chinese poetry and Pre-Raphaelite paintings. She is always intrigued to explore the intersections of art forms, as she believes in their profound interconnections that infuse music-making with additional layers of meaning and resonance.