Zhenni Li-Cohen

Hailed as “...an artist of tremendous conviction, who fascinates even as she provokes...” by Gramophone Magazine, “...a thrillingly good pianist...” by The New Yorker and for her “...big, gorgeous tone and a mesmerizing touch” by The Philadelphia Inquirer, Zhenni has given solo recitals in such notable venues as Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall, New York’s Lincoln Center, D.C’s Smithsonian Museum, Philadelphia’s Kimmel Performing Arts Center and the Berliner Philharmonie in Germany.

Zhenni is looking forward to her next recording project with Marin Alsop in collaboration with the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra for the Pentatone label. She has recently appeared as a soloist with the Bergen Philharmonic in Norway, the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia and the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra, Bay Atlantic Symphony, Bucks County Symphony Orchestra, Dominican Republic National Orchestra, Johns Hopkins Symphony Orchestra and Lower Merion Symphony Orchestra, Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony amongst others.

Deeply committed to the art of recording, Zhenni has recently released her album for the Steinway & Sons label featuring works by the Ukrainian composer Sergei Bortkiewicz (A letter), which was reviewed by Gramophone Magazine as “the most consistently beautiful Bortkiewicz recording in the catalogue” and “a must-add to your listening list” by American Record Guide. Zhenni’s next solo albums featuring Beethoven (Beethoven’s Apotheosis), traditional Chinese works (Legend of the Phoenix Queen), and in collaboration with Edmonton Chamber Orchestra are upcoming.

Earning worldwide recognition as the winner of the 2017 New York Concert Artists Worldwide Debut Audition and Astral Artist’s 2016 National Auditions, she has collaborated with members of the Aeolus, Borromeo, Jasper, Hugo Wolf, and New Orford quartets and has performed at numerous chamber music festivals including Classical Bridge, Fontainebleau Festival, Kneisel Hall, Maui Chamber Music Festival, Methow Valley Chamber Music Festival, Music@Menlo, Ravinia Festival, Rushmore Music Festival. Zhenni’s performances have been broadcast internationally on Canada National CBC Radio, Chicago’s WFMT Public Radio, Iowa Public Radio, New York’s WQXR, Norwegian National Radio: NPK P2/NPK Klassisk, Philadelphia’s WWFM and WRTI, Texas Public Radio, and West Virginia’s WVTF.

Zhenni is the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Opus 71 Concerts, a multimedia concert series near New York’s Lincoln Center. She is currently the Associate Professor of Piano at University of Alberta and holds a Bachelor and Master of Music degree from The Juilliard School, an Artist Diploma from Yale School of Music and a Doctorate Degree at the McGill School of Music. In her spare time, she enjoys learning jazz and new languages, looking forward to becoming pentalingual, traveling and meeting people of different cultures.

Zhenni Li-Cohen is a Steinway Artist.