Yao Li is an enthusiastic violin performer and violin teacher, and she graduated from The Eastman School of Music with a Master of Music degree in May 2019. Her advisor was Professor Oleh Krysa, and she had also studied with Professor Bin Huang during the first half of her graduate program. Her bachelor degree was earned at Eastman as well, where Professor Federico Agostini had been her advisor throughout her undergrad years.

Before attending Eastman in 2013, she had spent two years learning music and violin performance with Professor Anton Miller at The Hartt School of University of Hartford. Prior to that, she had been learning at The Middle School attached to China Conservatory of Music, and The Elementary School attached to Wuhan Conservatory of Music.

Her violin music, like herself, was born and grew up in the oriental world, and it has been patiently nourished and refined in the western world. With all the performance opportunities she has partaken in various concerts, violin competitions, musical fesitals and symphony orchestras, the unique flavor embedded in my music has seen steady developments and been recognized well by audiences, violinists and musicians.