Xu Jinyan
Associate Professor, College of Music, Ningbo University
Member of the Music Education Committee of the Chinese Society of Education
Member of Zhejiang Musicians Association

Educational Background

She graduated from the Department of Music, Hangzhou Normal University (the predecessor of Zhejiang Conservatory of Music), studying under Professor Mao Jiefang, former Director of the Piano Teaching and Research Office. After graduation, she continued her studies in piano performance and teaching with Professor Chao Zhijue, a renowned Chinese piano educator and former Associate Director of the Piano Department at Shanghai Conservatory of Music.

Teaching Achievements & Awards

With decades of experience in piano teaching, she constantly absorbs advanced domestic and international teaching concepts and performance techniques. Her students have won major awards in numerous international and domestic piano competitions, and she herself has received multiple Excellent Instructor honors, including:

• Excellent Instructor at the 7th KAWAI Asian Piano Competition Finals

• Excellent Instructor at the 20th Xinghai Cup National Piano Competition Elite Event

• Outstanding Instructor at the 5th & 12th German Mendelssohn International Piano Competition Asia-Pacific Finals

• Excellent Instructor at the 6th Magnolia International Music Festival Piano Finals

• Excellent Instructor at the 10th Bastian International Piano Competition National Finals

• Outstanding Piano Educator Award at the 4th German Irmler Qingdao International Piano Open Competition

• Excellent Instructor at the 3rd Yamaha National Piano Competition

• Excellent Instructor at the Pearl River·Kayserburg International Youth Piano Competition Zhejiang Division

• Excellent Instructor (multiple times) at the Kadansa Cup National Youth Chinese Piano Works Performance Competition Zhejiang Division

• Excellent Instructor (successive sessions) at the Zhejiang Provincial College Students Piano Competition

She has also been frequently invited to serve as a judge for piano competitions at all levels and piano grading exams.

Research & Academic Contributions

She has long been committed to research on piano teaching and talent cultivation. Adhering to the educational philosophy of "nurture both piano skills and personal growth", she integrates psychology, pedagogy, and music aesthetics to write piano teaching papers, many of which have won awards in national and provincial evaluations and been published:

• On the Wings of Piano Sounds won the Third Prize at the 3rd National Excellent Music & Art Paper Evaluation

• Exploration of Inquiry-Based Learning in Piano Teaching at Normal Universities won the Second Prize at the 1st National Excellent Piano Teaching Paper Evaluation

• Attention and Children's Piano Teaching won the First Prize at the 2nd Music Paper Evaluation of the Zhejiang Education System Art Festival

• She also authored the art series book Piano Art and Appreciation.

Talent Cultivation

Devoted to piano education, she excels at guiding and fostering students' comprehensive abilities. She has sent outstanding musical talents to domestic and international music institutions, including:

• Oberlin Conservatory of Music (US), Berklee College of Music (US), Steinhardt School of NYU (US)

• Kraków Academy of Music (Poland), Nagoya University of Arts (Japan)

• Central Conservatory of Music, Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Zhejiang Conservatory of Music