Westfield Rotary Inducts New Member
On Tuesday, February 7, 2023, The Rotary Club of Westfield inducted Ms. Yifei Xu as a new member. Yifei is the Operational Director of the New Jersey Festival Orchestra, based in Westfield, NJ. She gave an amazing rendition of Frederic Chopin’s “Winter Wind” on the piano at her induction ceremony.
Pianist Yifei Xu has been described as an “incredibly passionate and logical pianist” and “an amazing demonstration of prodigious skills.” She has participated and performed in the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival New Music Workshop as a fellow, Aspen Music Festival, Bang on a Can, Mostly Modern Festival, Almalfi Coast Piano Festival, and Merkin Concert Hall. Winner of MMF Concerto Competition, Vivo International Music Competition, she has also received the Roy M. Rubinstein Award, the first prize in The American Prize Professional Solo, and was honored by the Eisenberg/Fired Concerto Competition. Recent career highlights include performing the Rautavaara Piano Concerto No.1 with American Modern Orchestra under the baton of Austin Symphony Orchestra Music Director Peter Bay at Saratoga Springs in June 2022 and performing at Barge Music in New York Brooklyn with cellist Dave Eggar. Xu specializes in contemporary piano performance and currently performs with the BlackBox Ensemble. She earned her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees at Manhattan School of Music, and is completing her Doctoral of Musical Arts degree at MSM, studying with Dr. Marc Silverman.
The New Jersey Festival Orchestra is a premier, fully professional, symphony orchestra. Founded in Westfield in 1983, NJ Festival Orchestra has grown to become one of New Jersey’s largest professional orchestras, having a presence throughout many cultural communities of New Jersey, and appearing as far afield as Carnegie Hall on a regular basis.
The name New Jersey Festival Orchestra reflects an ongoing celebration of the diversity of music and the creation of experiences that stretch the boundaries of traditional classical performances.
Yifei Xu looks forward to be able to help the community through the Rotary Club.
The Rotary Club of Westfield meets the first three Tuesdays of each month for lunch at Limani Seafood Grill on North Ave at Noon. Guests are always welcome. For information check out the website westfieldrotary.com or contact club secretary Michael Hart by email at drmhart@yahoo.com.
