Bella Xiangcao, Shi

    Bella (Xiangcao) Shi is a vibrant and social pianist from China with years of dedicated study and practice, whose love for connecting with people is as natural as her love for music. From an early age, Bella has been dedicated, constantly striving to deepen her artistry and refine her craft. A true global musician, she speaks three languages—Chinese, Korean, and English, and carries with her a unique blend of cultures. Her journey has taken her to stages across China, Korea, Japan, Italy, and the United States, where she has collaborated with musicians from diverse backgrounds and given solo recitals. Throughout her career, she has actively participated in numerous significant performances and competitions, such as performing at Steinway Hall in Seoul and in the 2022 Liszt Competition gaining valuable stage experience and building a diverse repertoire. Known for her passion for Romantic repertoire and her fearless pursuit of technical and musical challenges, Bella pushes the boundaries of her artistry while keeping her performances alive with warmth and spontaneity. In addition, she enjoys researching relevant musical articles. For her, music is not only about precision, but also about sharing energy, stories, and emotions with her audience.
        Bella has won numerous awards, including the First Prize at the 4th “Sviatoslav Richter” International Piano Competition, the Absolute First Prize at the Fanny Mendelssohn International Competition, 4th Prize at the Ewha Womans University “Ewha Piano Concours,” and the First Prize at the Seoul Art Concours piano competition. Additionally, Shi was awarded the Peace Prize from Ewha Womans University in 2023 with her chamber music group. Other performances in Seoul include a solo recital at Herman Art Hall (2024), a graduation recital at Ewha Womans University (2024), and a performance with pianist Sunho Lee in the Eden Classic Company Duo Collaboration Project (2023). 
In the United States, she performed in the Piano Studio Department Recital at Hilda and Douglas Goodwin Recital Hall (2025), a chamber concert at Leith Symington Griswold Hall (2026), a Composition Department Recital at Joe Byrd Hall (2026), and Sonata recital at Centre Street Performance Studio (2026). She has also performed in cello recitals and worked as a collaborative pianist for different instrumentalists and vocal recitals (2025–2026).
She earned her Bachelor’s degree in 2025 from Ewha Woman's University College of Music, the first music college in South Korea. Currently, she is studying for her Master’s degree at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, where she works with Benjamin Pasternack. Bella Shi plans to earn a Doctoral degree as well, and looks forward work as a pianist and educator.