Xiao

Liang

Xiao Liang is a pianist whose performance, teaching, and research span the United States, Italy, Finland, Malaysia, and China. She has been recognized with numerous awards, including First Prize at the 2024 FSU Annual Competition, Italy’s Maccagno Young Artist Piano Festival, and the AACE New York International Music Competition, as well as the Best Etude Award at the USCI Young Artist Festival and the Excellent Award at China’s CCTV Piano and Violin Competition.

A versatile artist, she performs as a soloist, collaborative pianist, and chamber musician, and in 2021 contributed MIDI piano accompaniments of Chinese art songs to the 4D Music Pocket Player app, where her recordings remain part of its permanent international library.

Liang’s research interests include cross-cultural repertoire, performance anxiety, and inclusive pedagogy, which she has presented at NCKP, MTNA, ISME, FSMTA, the MTNA Symposium, and CMS. 

Liang holds a B.A. in Musicology from Beijing Normal University under Lanlan Guo, an M.M. in Piano Performance from the University of Florida under Jasmin Arakawa, and a Performance Diploma from Indiana University, where she studied with Emile Naoumoff, the last protégé of Nadia Boulanger. She earned her D.M. in Piano Performance with a specialized certification in Piano Pedagogy from Florida State University under Read Gainsford and Diana Dumlavwalla. She is currently a member of the teaching faculty at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise, where she also serves as a collaborative pianist.

Courses Taught

• MUS 1010: Introduction to Music Reading
• MUS 1251: Class Piano I
• MUS 1252: Class Piano II
• MUS 1253: Class Piano for Non-Majors
• MUS 1351: Applied Piano Secondary: Piano
• MUS 1451: Applied Piano Principal: Piano

Research Interests

• Inclusive pedagogy
• Cross-Cultural Music Study
• Performance Anxiety Management
• Music Technology

Professional Membership

• Music Teachers National Association (MTNA)
• College Music Society (CMS)
• International Society for Music Education (ISME)