Diyang Mei

"The instantaneous grip, the electrifying playing style throughout, the logical phrasing, the rhythmic stability, and the staggeringly accurate intonation characterized all of Diyang Mei’s performances.” - Harald Eggebrecht, Süddeutsche Zeitung

Ever since violist Diyang Mei’s brilliant success at the 2018 ARD International Music Competition, winning first prize in the viola category, the Audience Prize and several special prizes, he has been steadily furthering his international career.

As a soloist, Diyang Mei has performed with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the SWR Symphony Orchestra Stuttgart, the Munich Chamber Orchestra, the Konzerthausorchester Berlin, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and at the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Festival, the SWR Festival Schwetzingen, the Schwarzwald Music Festival and the Mozartfest in Würzburg. He has performed with András Schiff, Vadim Gluzman, Günter Pichler, Gerhard Schulz, Ana Chumachenco, Sabine Meyer, Christoph Prégardien und Frans Helmerson among others.

Diyang Mei has held the position of 1st principal viola of the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra since the fall of 2019.

He was awarded first prizes at the 52nd International Instrumental Competition for Viola in Markneukirchen (2017), at the International Max Rostal Music Competition for Viola in Berlin (2015), at the Kulturkreis Gasteig Musikpreis for Strings in Munich (2015), at the IVC Young Artist Competition in Rochester (2012), at the 19th International Johannes Brahms Viola Competition in Austria (2012) and at the 10th International Viola and Cello Competition in Villa de Llanes, Spain (2008).

His first solo-album “Transforming Viola” was released in 2019. In June 2022, His second album “Viola à L’Ecole de Paris” will be released, to which he is dedicated together with the German-pianist Oliver Triendl.

Borin China in 1994, Diyang Mei has studied with Hariolf Schlichtig at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Munich since 2014 and as of October 2019, will continue his studies with Nobuko Imai at the Kronberg Academy. He is supported by both the Yu Art Foundation in China and the Borletti-Buitoni Trust and is also a Yehudi Menuhin LMN e.V. scholarship holder. He plays a Antonio Mariani viola from 1646, on generous loan by a private collection.

Since 2022, he has been 1st Principal Viola of the Berlin Philharmonic. 

Diyang Mei has been studying at Kronberg Academy from 2019 to 2022 with Nobuko Imai. 2022-2023 he has held the position of a fellow at Kronberg Academy.