The story of Xingye Li is a portrait of how international the classical guitar has become. Born in China, trained in Korea and Germany, and active across Europe and Asia, he is a musician whose sound has been shaped by three distinct schools — and who has emerged from that journey as one of the most accomplished Chinese guitarists of his generation.
From Shenyang to Seoul
Li was born in 1989 in Shenyang, in north-eastern China, and began the classical guitar at nine under Professor Guangxu Jiang. His talent took him abroad early: in 2004 he was admitted to the prestigious "Genius Class" of the Korea National University of Arts, studying with Professor Song-ou Lee on a full scholarship from the Korean Ministry of Culture — a remarkable distinction for a teenager from another country.
A German finishing school
After completing his bachelor's degree in 2009, Li moved to Germany to continue his studies, first with Professor Reinbert Evers at the Münster Academy of Music and then, from 2015, at the Berlin University of the Arts, where he pursued the demanding Konzertexamen under Professor Rainer Feldmann. This long European training gave his playing its polish and its grounding in the central repertoire.
A winner across Europe
Li's competition record spans continents. He has taken first prizes at the international competitions in Tychy, Poland and Daejeon, Korea, won the GWK Young Artists Award in Germany, and — notably — claimed both the First Prize and the Audience Prize at the "Printemps de la Guitare" competition in Charleroi, Belgium, a double that speaks to both his technical authority and his appeal to listeners. Since 2010 he has given hundreds of recitals and concerto performances in Germany, Italy, Belgium, Poland, Russia, China and South Korea.
Recordings and recognition
His album Masterpieces drew praise for its ambition, taking on demanding cornerstones of the repertoire. He is also the first Asian artist to be associated with the German string maker Hannabach — a small but telling mark of his standing in the European guitar world. From Villa-Lobos to Bach, his playing brings a clean, focused tone and a serious musical intelligence to everything he touches.
FAQ
Where is Xingye Li from?
He was born in Shenyang, China, in 1989, and began the guitar at the age of nine.
Where did he study?
At the Korea National University of Arts, then the Münster Academy of Music and the Berlin University of the Arts in Germany.
What has he won?
First prizes in Tychy, Daejeon and elsewhere, and both first and audience prizes at the "Printemps de la Guitare" in Charleroi.
