Xinrui (Renee) Li, a 16-year-old cellist at Milpitas High School, began her studies at age 8 with Yulian Xu in Beijing, followed by a year of study in 2024 under composer and cellist Margaret Maria in Canada. She now studies with cellist Rachel Xu. Renee has earned 1st place in the CIMC-MOMA Young Artist Award, Chinese Music Award, USIMC, Melodot 2025, and holds the RCM Grade 10 Cello Certificate. From 2023–2024, she served as Co-Principal Cellist of the Ottawa Youth Symphony Orchestra; she currently plays in the California Youth Symphony’s cello section and the Gradus ad Parnassum Competition Chamber Ensemble. She has participated in the C’est Bon Summer Music Camp and masterclasses with Christopher Costanza, Xia Wu, Yibing Zhu, and Vicky Wang. Renee also contributes to nonprofits Music 4 America and Market Youth Musicians to broaden music’s reach. Outside of music, Renee loves sharing her passion by tutoring, figure skating, badminton, and baking.
Watch Xinrui (Renee) Li perform Cello Concerto in B Minor Op. 104 by Antonin Dvorak on the cello for the 2025 Finale Music Competition as part of the Charleston International Music Competition.