Silvia Li

Legendary cellist and educator Nelson Cooke has described Silvia’s playing style, noting how impressed he was by "such a petite body ingeniously manoeuvring a relatively huge instrument," adding that he could "feel her passion from the rich tone and intensity of her playing."

An active performer internationally as a soloist, in chamber music, and with symphonies, Silvia is also the artistic director of the Gems Ensemble. She has recorded a solo recital and an exclusive interview for Radio 4 Hong Kong. Silvia has received numerous awards and scholarships, including the Investec Music Award, the University of Melbourne Scholarship, and the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Scholarship. Her cello performance studies were under the guidance of Nelson Cooke, Philip Green, Molly Kadarauch, and Ray Wang. She holds a Masters degree in Music (Performance and Education) and a Bachelor in Music Performance from the University of Melbourne, as well as an Advanced Diploma of Music Performance from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.

Silvia is deeply committed to cello education. Since 1998, she has pursued her passion for teaching the art of cello, while also nurturing her students' character, love of life, and music through ongoing research and practice in pedagogy.

Inspired by the Suzuki philosophy of music education, she began her studies in 2011 with Takao Mizushima and Belinda Manwaring, subsequently earning Suzuki Teacher Accreditations for Suzuki Cello Books 1-10. Silvia has traveled extensively to learn from esteemed educators and has participated as a guest teacher at music schools and festivals worldwide, including the Austrian Berwang Music Festival, the Hong Kong International Christian Quality Music School, and Suzuki Festivals/conferences in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Tokyo, Nagoya, and Seoul. Beyond her musical pursuits, Silvia is a joyful mother of three daughters and enjoys traveling, yoga, and oil painting. She is also a sound therapist, continuously exploring the potential of sound.

Testimonial: "She is one of the best cello teachers I have come across!” - Esther, mother of 2 Suzuki children (age 18 & 13). Her daughter is currently on Suzuki Cello Book 5.