The Danbury Concert Association launches its 2026–2027 concert season on Sunday, September 20, welcoming internationally acclaimed Chinese concert pianist Ying Li to the Visual & Performing Arts Center at Western Connecticut State University.
The 1 p.m. performance will take place at 43 Lake Avenue Extension in Danbury and promises an afternoon of dazzling technique, expressive depth, and a captivating program featuring celebrated masterworks of piano repertoire.
Single tickets for the September 20th concert are $33.85 and may be purchased online, at wcsuvpac.eventbrite.com, or at the VPAC Box Office (203-837-8732) up to curtain time. Admission is free for ages 18 and under, courtesy of the Danbury Cultural Commission. Season subscriptions at $89 for all four concerts are also available at https://ticketscandy.com/e/danbury-concert-association-202627-series-18376
Born in China, Ying Li began studying piano at age five. Just nine years later, her exceptional promise led her to Philadelphia’s prestigious Curtis Institute of Music, where she studied with Jonathan Biss and Seymour Lipkin and earned her bachelor’s degree. She continued her education at The Juilliard School in New York, completing her master’s degree in 2021 under the guidance of Robert McDonald.
That same year marked a major milestone in Li’s rapidly ascending career. She won the Premio Internazionale Antonio Mormone in Milan and was named a laureate of the Young Concert Artists Auditions in New York. These honors affirmed her place among the most exciting young pianists on the international stage.
Li has performed worldwide at renowned chamber music festivals and with leading orchestras. Her performances have brought her to celebrated venues, from Teatro alla Scala in Milan and Verizon Hall at Philadelphia’s Kimmel Cultural Campus to the Chicago Cultural Center and ACT Concert Hall in Hamamatsu, Japan.
Widely praised for her “nerves of steel,” technical brilliance, and profound musical sensitivity, Li brings a presence that is both commanding and deeply communicative. For her Danbury appearance, Li will perform a compelling and wide-ranging program featuring works by Bach/Busoni, Amy Beach, Stravinsky, and Qigang Chen. The repertoire offers audiences an opportunity to experience the breadth of her artistry—from clarity and control to sweeping virtuosity and emotional nuance. Following the concert, audience members are invited to stay and meet the rising piano star in person.
With Ying Li’s dynamic artistry opening the season, the Danbury Concert Association’s 2026–2027 series begins on a high note—inviting music lovers to experience a remarkable performer whose international career is already making an indelible impression.
About the Danbury Concert Association
The Danbury Concert Association is a nonprofit organization with roots dating back to the 1930s. Officially spun off from the Danbury Music Centre in 1957, the Association has brought internationally renowned talent to Connecticut every year since then, except during the COVID era. Today, performances are held at the Visual and Performing Arts Center at Western Connecticut State University, featuring internationally acclaimed artists in a state-of-the-art concert hall. The Association presents four concerts per season, two in the fall and two in the spring, each followed by a meet-the-artists reception.
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