Viola
Ms. Xue Ding is currently pursuing her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Stony Brook University under the tutelage of Laurence Dutton and Matthew Lipman, while serving as a teaching assistant at the university. Before entering the DMA program at SBU, Ms. Ding earned her master’s degree from the prestigious Orchestral Performance Program at the Manhattan School of Music in 2020, as well as a post-graduate Professional Study Certificate in viola performance in 2019. From 2017 to 2019, she studied at the New England Conservatory, where she earned her first master’s degree in viola performance. She holds a Bachelor of Music (BM) degree from the Mannes School of Music. Her principal teachers include Craig Mumm, Karen Dreyfus, Patinka Kopec, Dimitri Murrath, Daniel Panner, and James Dunham.
Ms. Ding is a prize winner in numerous competitions, including the Fuchs Chamber Music Competition and Widder String Quartet Competition at the Manhattan School of Music, the International Shining Stars Competition, the International Virtuoso Competition, the New York Artists International Competition, and the New York International Music Concourse. She has performed at renowned festivals such as the Aspen Music Festival, the Young Artist Program at Canada’s National Arts Centre, the Music Mountain Festival, the Mozarteum Summer Music Festival, the Sarasota Music Festival, the Heifetz Music Festival, the Summit Music Festival, the Bowdoin International Music Festival, and the Maine Chamber Music Seminar. She has also graced prestigious venues including Weill Recital Hall and Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, Jordan Hall, Merkin Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Symphony Space, and the Canada National Arts Centre. Additionally, she has been invited to perform at the United Nations for charity events.
As a Teaching Assistant for the University Orchestra since Spring 2022, Ms. Ding assists with sectionals and conducts rehearsals. During the 2022–2023 season, she conducted a chamber orchestra from the University Orchestra in a performance of Suite I from Respighi’s Ancient Airs
and Dances. She has also coached undergraduate chamber music groups and collaborated with SBU professors from other departments. As an adjudicator, she has evaluated performances for the Stony Brook University Concerto Competition, Stony Brook University Undergraduate Jury,
and the Gemini Orchestra Concerto Competition.
During the academic year, Ms. Ding teaches at the Long Island Music Conservatory, and during the summer, she teaches at Usdan Summer Camp, both located on Long Island. She also maintains a private studio, where she works with students of all levels to help them achieve their musical goals. As a professional musician since her teenage years, Ms. Ding specializes in preparing students for admission to top music conservatories worldwide. For students applying to schools in the United States, she provides guidance on supplementary materials such as interview preparation and personal statements. She offers both online and in-person lessons in violin, viola, music theory, and ear training.
Ms. Ding also possesses extensive knowledge of music theory and music history. As a researcher, her article, Charles Loeffler’s Two Songs With Viola and Piano Accompaniment and Their French Influence won second prize in the American Viola Society’s David Dalton Viola Research Competition and was published as a featured article in their peer-reviewed journal.
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