Passion, Precision, and Performance: Xue Ding Reflects on Her Artistic Evolution
- WOMCO
- May 6
- 4 min read
Xue Ding was awarded the Platinum Prize and the Bizet Special Prize for Excellent Musicianship in the Baroque B (Over Age 17) Category, at the 2025 Season 2 Georges Bizet International Music Competition
Biography
Ms. Xue Ding is currently pursuing her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Stony Brook University under the tutelage of Laurence Dutton and Matthew Lipman, while serving as a teaching assistant at the university. Before entering the DMA program at SBU, Ms. Ding earned her master’s degree from the prestigious Orchestral Performance Program at the Manhattan School of Music in 2020, as well as a post-graduate Professional Study Certificate in viola performance in 2019. From 2017 to 2019, she studied at the New England Conservatory, where she earned her first master’s degree in viola performance. She holds a Bachelor of Music (BM) degree from the Mannes School of Music. Her principal teachers include Craig Mumm, Karen Dreyfus, Patinka Kopec, Dimitri Murrath, Daniel Panner, and James Dunham.
Ms. Ding is a prize winner in numerous competitions, including the Fuchs Chamber Music Competition and Widder String Quartet Competition at the Manhattan School of Music, the International Shining Stars Competition, the International Virtuoso Competition, the New York Artists International Competition, and the New York International Music Concourse. She has performed at renowned festivals such as the Aspen Music Festival, the Young Artist Program at Canada’s National Arts Centre, the Music Mountain Festival, the Mozarteum Summer Music Festival, the Sarasota Music Festival, the Heifetz Music Festival, the Summit Music Festival, the Bowdoin International Music Festival, and the Maine Chamber Music Seminar. She has also graced prestigious venues including Weill Recital Hall and Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, Jordan Hall, Merkin Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Symphony Space, and the Canada National Arts Centre. Additionally, she has been invited to perform at the United Nations for charity events.
As a Teaching Assistant for the University Orchestra since Spring 2022, Ms. Ding assists with sectionals and conducts rehearsals. During the 2022–2023 season, she conducted a chamber orchestra from the University Orchestra in a performance of Suite I from Respighi’s Ancient Airs and Dances. She has also coached undergraduate chamber music groups and collaborated with SBU professors from other departments. As an adjudicator, she has evaluated performances for the Stony Brook University Concerto Competition, Stony Brook University Undergraduate Jury, and the Gemini Orchestra Concerto Competition.
During the academic year, Ms. Ding teaches at the Long Island Music Conservatory, and during the summer, she teaches at Usdan Summer Camp, both located on Long Island. She also maintains a private studio, where she works with students of all levels to help them achieve their musical goals. As a professional musician since her teenage years, Ms. Ding specializes in preparing students for admission to top music conservatories worldwide. For students applying to schools in the United States, she provides guidance on supplementary materials such as interview preparation and personal statements. She offers both online and in-person lessons in violin, viola, music theory, and ear training.
Ms. Ding also possesses extensive knowledge of music theory and music history. As a researcher, her article, Charles Loeffler’s Two Songs With Viola and Piano Accompaniment and Their French Influence won second prize in the American Viola Society’s David Dalton Viola Research Competition and was published as a featured article in their peer-reviewed journal.
Can you introduce yourself and share how you got into music?
My name is Xue Ding and I also go by Annie. I am currently pursuing my Doctor of Musical Arts at Stony Brook University, where I have the honor of studying with Lawrence Dutton and Matthew Lipman. My musical focus centers on lyrical expression—whether through classical repertoire or contemporary works.
My journey began with the violin at age six, when my kindergarten teacher told my mom I was not interested in anything except music—which I find to be very true. At fourteen, I discovered the viola's more human-like voice and was captivated—though now I happily perform and teach both instruments. Leaving home at thirteen to pursue music was a leap of faith, but it led me to incredible opportunities: I've now performed across three continents, and each journey has deepened my belief that music is a universal language. I am deeply grateful to those who have guided me along this path.
Could you tell us more about your award-winning work? For instance, how did you prepare it, bring it to life, or any interesting stories behind the scenes?
For this competition, I submitted Bach's Cello Suite No. 5 (viola transcription). Having studied all six Bach suites since age fourteen, I've reached a point in my artistic development where technical mastery alone no longer satisfies me - I'm now passionately committed to revealing their original beauty through historically informed performance practice.
This suite holds particular significance as Bach composed it for scordatura, in this case requiring the A string to be tuned a whole step down to G. Scordatura was also used in other famous works like Biber's Rosary Sonatas and Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante. This technique can transform the instrument's resonance and technical possibilities.
Scordatura makes the string crossings, fingerings, and phrasing make more sense in Suite No. 5. The lowered A string not only relaxes the tension but also creates a darker, more introspective timbre that perfectly serves the suite's profound character.
Would you like to share your experience participating in our competition and anyone you'd like to thank (such as mentors, supporters or other team members)?
Participating in this competition has been an immensely rewarding journey. I am truly grateful for the recognition this competition brings to my music. The process has pushed me to refine my artistry, and this recognition gives me both courage and inspiration to continue my musical exploration. I'm deeply grateful to my mother for her unwavering support throughout my musical career, and to all of my teachers—not only my viola mentors but also those who guided me in music history and theory—for their invaluable wisdom and encouragement. This experience has profoundly reaffirmed my love for music and my appreciation for the vibrant community that surrounds it.
