Mu Phi Epsilon Concert Series - Cellist Tsun-yuet Emmanuel Kwok and Pianist Xinzhuo Li in Concert

Tsun-yuet Emmanuel Kwok, Cellist

A native of British Hong Kong, cellist Tsun-yuet Emmanuel Kwok has performed extensively as a soloist across Europe, Asia, and the United States. He made his Carnegie Hall solo debut in June 2023 and has premiered over 30 new works by contemporary composers. Kwok is a frequent recitalist in the Dallas–Fort Worth area and has appeared as a concerto soloist with orchestras including the New Life Symphony Orchestra, Mesquite Symphony Orchestra, Greater North Texas Youth Orchestra, and Mansfield Philharmonic, among others.

An active orchestral cellist, Kwok serves as a member of the Dallas Chamber Symphony and Assistant Principal Cellist of the McKinney Philharmonic Orchestra. He also performs regularly with ensembles such as the East Texas Symphony Orchestra, Texarkana Symphony Orchestra, Plano Symphony Orchestra, Irving Symphony Orchestra, New Texas Sinfonia, and Texas Cellos. His performance career has earned him recognition including First Prize at the Hong Kong Music Festival and Second Prize at the National Competition of Asia. Beyond classical music, Kwok has collaborated with worship ministries and pop artists across Southeast Asia, and his work as a solo cellist is featured on more than ten studio albums.

Kwok currently serves as Adjunct Professor of Music at both Nelson University and Tarrant County College. He is Artist-in-Residence at Prime Music Institute and has held faculty positions at the Fort Worth Youth Orchestra and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra Young Musicians Program. He previously taught at Greenville Suzuki Strings and the Fort Worth B Sharp Youth Music Program. Kwok is a sought-after clinician and has taught at summer festivals including the Texas Cello School, Dallas Symphony Youth Summer Camp, Texas Institute for Orchestra Studies, Clear Creek Music Festival (Oregon), TCU Summer Cello Academy, and the Greater North Texas Youth Orchestra Summer Intensive.

Kwok earned his Master of Music degree from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts under Professor Ray Wang, and his Doctor of Musical Arts from Texas Christian University, where he studied with internationally renowned cellist Jesús Castro-Balbi. He has received coaching from cellists including Johannes Moser, Lynn Harrell, Steven Isserlis, Vagram Saradjian, Dmitri Atapine, Maja Bogdanović, and Li-Wei Qin. Kwok is a member of The National Society of Leadership and Success, Pi Kappa Lambda, Golden Key International Honour Society, and is a frequent performer on the Mu Phi Epsilon Concert Series.

Xinzhuo Li, Pianist

Pianist Xinzhuo Li is recognized for her expressive artistry and versatility across a wide range of repertoire, from the classical canon to contemporary music. She has appeared as a soloist and chamber musician in major cities across China and the United States, including Guangzhou, Tianjin, Beijing, Shanghai, Boston, Manhattan, and Washington D.C. Her recent honors include First Prize (Piano Solo) and Second Prize (Chamber Music) at the 6th SWISS International Music Competition in 2024.

Li began her piano studies at the age of five and was admitted to Northeast Normal University in 2015 with the highest entrance ranking in Heilongjiang Province. She earned her Bachelor of Music in Musicology there, studying under Xin Qiao, Guohong Chen, and Russian pianist Konstantin Kartashov. In the same year, she was awarded First Prize in the Yamaha Music Scholarship Competition.

In 2019, she completed her Master of Music degree at the Longy School of Music of Bard College, where she studied with Donald Berman. Her interest in contemporary music was further deepened during her participation in the Divergent Studio festival in 2021, where she collaborated closely with Berman as both a soloist and chamber pianist. She has performed in masterclasses with Gila Goldstein, Christopher Guzman, Alexander Kobrin, and Alan Chow.

Since 2021, Li has been pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance at the University of North Texas under the guidance of Joseph Banowetz and Dr. Liudmila Georgievskaya. She is a recipient of both the in-state Graduate Scholarship and the Competitive Graduate Piano Performance Scholarship.

In addition to her performance career, Li has taught in primary, middle, and junior high schools, as well as private music academies. She draws from a wide pedagogical background that incorporates Dalcroze, Kodály, Orff, and Suzuki methods. Her teaching emphasizes musical creativity, imagination, and interdisciplinary learning.

With her dynamic stage presence and deep commitment to artistic growth, Xinzhuo Li continues to inspire audiences and students alike through her dedication to musical excellence.