Teacher of Violin, The Yehudi Menuhin School Qingdao  

European-Trained Violinist and Chamber Musician  

B.Mus., Hanns Eisler School of Music Berlin, Germany  

M.Mus., Royal Conservatoire of Brussels, Belgium  

First Chinese recipient of Europe's highest diploma in chamber music performance (violin specialization)

 

Guo Siyan distinguished himself early on by topping the entrance exams for the Central Conservatory of Music Middle School in 2005 and later securing admission to the Central Conservatory of Music in 2011 through a professional recommendation. During his academic career, he received every major national scholarship available, including the prestigious Baosteel Outstanding Student Award, the Fu Chengxian Music Memorial Scholarship, and the Tan Xiaowei Scholarship. He was also selected for the Central Conservatory of Music's first Top Innovative Talent Training Program.

 

His success continued in various competitions, where he achieved the First Prize and Top Excellence Award at the 15th Andrea Postacchini International Violin Competition in Italy, also earning a Silver Medal from the President of Italy. Additionally, he won Best Instrumental Performance at the Central Conservatory of Music Piano Chamber Music Competition, Best Performance of Jascha Heifetz's Works at the Fifth International Jascha Heifetz Competition for Violinists, and secured fourth place in the youth division at the 15th Menuhin Competition for Young Violinists.

 

Dedicated to enriching chamber music and orchestral culture, Guo Siyan has served as concertmaster for the National Youth Orchestra of China and led them on international tours. He co-founded the "String Storm" String Quartet and the "Flame" String Quartet, serving as first violin. These groups have earned numerous accolades, including second place at the Third Chamber Music Festival at the Central Conservatory of Music and the inaugural "Cullar-Nathan" Cup Chamber Music Competition, where they were highly praised by jury chairman, Mr. Menahem Pressler. They also won first place at the 1st String Quartet Special Competition at the Central Conservatory of Music Middle School and the first Golden String Quartet Award at the Eighth China Music Golden Bell Awards.

 

Guo Siyan has also made a mark on the global stage, having been invited to prestigious music festivals like the 5th Singapore Chamber Music Festival, where he held string quartet concerts at the National University of Singapore and the Singapore Art Museum. His solo concerts at the Meadowmount School of Music International Festival, the 12th Beijing International Music Festival, the First Shanghai Baroque Chamber Music Festival, and the Lüneburg Music Festival in Germany received critical acclaim. As a soloist, he has performed with orchestras including the China Philharmonic Orchestra, Kunming Symphony Orchestra, Guiyang Symphony Orchestra, Qingdao Symphony Orchestra, and the Seoul Chamber Orchestra.

 

In addition to his performance career, Guo Siyan has received the Yingkou City (Liaoning Province) Talent Award and served as an ambassador for the city’s initiative to become an "International Hub of Musical Instruments." In 2014, he contributed to the soundtrack of the Golden Bear-winning film "Black Coal, Thin Ice" at the Berlin Film Festival. In 2023, he was appointed concertmaster of the Taishan Grand Theater Orchestra and also joined the Taishan Grand Theater's Art Education Expert Committee.

 

As an educator, Guo Siyan's dedication to discovering and nurturing musical talent has been recognized with the Talent Mentor Award at the 14th Hong Kong Violin Competition, underlining his commitment to advancing the musical arts.