Pianist Dr. Ru-Lin Lai received the Doctor of Music Art degree from the Eastman School of Music. An acclaimed chamber musician, vocal accompanist, and a soloist, Ms. Lai is a full professor at the National Taiwan University of Arts. She also teaches at the professional music program at the Affiliated High School of National Taiwan Normal University.

Graduating with the highest honors from the National Taiwan Normal University in Taipei, Taiwan, Dr. Lai has performed extensively with the National Opera Workshop as the chief accompanist. Upon receiving a full scholarship from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Ru-Lin Lai went abroad to earn master degrees in “Piano Performance,” and “Chamber music and Accompaniment.” During her doctoral studies at Eastman School of Music, where she also attained a full scholarship, Dr. Lai had the honor of being the first Asian to win the “Best Accompanist Prize” at the annual Kneisel German Art Songs Competition. She has received praise from renowned pianists Dickran Atamian, and Martin Katz:

“Ru-Lin Lai, the most supremely gifted people I have ever known or heard on or off the concert stage, on or off the discs!” (D. Atamian)

“Ru-Lin is a true artist.” (M. Katz)

In Taiwan, Ms. Lai has won the “Young Star Series” offered by the National Theatre and Concert Hall, leading to sponsored solo recitals. Dr. Lai continues to maintains an active performing schedule in concerto, solo, and collaborative repertoires in prestigious venues throughout Taiwan. She has performed under the batons of conductors Shao-chia Lu, Nien-Fu Liao, Shu-Ling Lu, Chung-Ping Hsieh; collaborating with the Taipei Symphony Orchestra, and both orchestras at the National Taiwan University of Arts, performing works for solo piano and orchestra by Grieg, Mendelssohn, Shostakovich, Gershwin, among others. Besides being a performer and sought after adjudicator in competition, Dr. Lai is devoted to the art of piano collaboration and its education. She disseminates her knowledge about piano performance, accompanying, chamber music, and sight-reading in seminars and workshop settings in hopes of promoting and enriching musical connections in all forms.