Ethan Yi Dong was brought to America by legendary conductor Herbert Zipper in 1989 during his tour in China where he won the 1st place in the professional category at the Pearl River National Piano Competition while attending the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. He has collaborated with members of the Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic and soloed with distinguished orchestras such as the Pacific Symphony under the direction of Carl St. Clair, the Beijing Philharmonic Orchestra, Pacific Palisades Symphony, and Brentwood Symphony. He gave his debut solo recital at Carnegie Weill Recital Hall after winning 1st prize at the Heida Hermanns International Piano Competition and have performed in Jordan Hall in Boston, Harvard University, the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, Hollywood Ford Amphitheatre as well as in the Forbidden City for the president of China at the Asia Olympics. He has been featured on radio and TV stations such as New York’s WQXR, KUSC, China International Radio Broadcast Station, CBS, LA Channel 18.
Yi Dong started his teaching career while attending Yale University teaching secondary piano classes for the college division and later moved to Orange County in California. His students are laureates of top prize winners of the Gina Bachauer International Junior Piano Competition, Bosendorfer & Yamaha International Piano Competition, Virginia Waring International Piano Competition, Rosalyn Tureck International Bach Competition, Spotlight Award and Young Arts.
Yi Dong is the founder of Opus119, a music school in Orange County and former director of the Elizabeth Mandell Music Institute at Crossroads School in Los Angeles. He also serves on the board of Lake Como International Piano Academy in Italy.
He received his music education from his mother Li Fei-Lan, a professor at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing and studied with Mary Ann Cummins at the Crossroads School, Russell Sherman at the New England Conservatory of Music, and Claude Frank at Yale University. His mentors include Professor Zhou Guangren, André Watts, and William Grant Naboré.
Yi Dong is also a Microsoft Certified Internet Professional and System Engineer (MCSE), and holds PADI (Professional Association Diving Instructors) certification for open water diving certification.