Violinist Tianwa Yang has distinguished herself from the crowd of young violinists and has become a major star, especially in Germany, where she was partly trained. Yang's recordings have focused on virtuoso repertory, although she dislikes that term as applied to her own playing.
Yang was born in Beijing on April 8, 1987, and she showed talent immediately after taking up the violin at age four. Competition victories are key in climbing the ladder in China, and Yang entered her first one just eight months after starting to play. She won several competitions as a child and, at...