Biography
Born in Vancouver, Canada, Iris commenced her musical studies with the piano in 2015 when she was 5 years old, showing great interest in music when her sister practiced the piano.
Iris started to study piano with the local renowned piano educator Tina Lee when she was 6 years old, later with famous pianist, Senior RCM Examiner, and music professor David Vandereyk. She further continued to expand her musical studies with the cello in 2018 with local famous cello educator Kevin Wei and is now currently studying with president and CEO of VAM, Joseph Elworthy. With more time to advance her musical pursuit, Iris made great progress. She was the frequent prize winner in various piano and cello competitions and music festivals. In 2018, she participated in the Little Mozarts Competition and won 1st place and was invited to perform in the renowned Carnegie Hall. In 2019, she was recognized with the Canadian Young Artists Standards of Excellence Award by the Steinway Young Artist Program in Canada. In 2021, Iris participated in the Elite Young Artists Concert Series and the 8th GOCAA International Piano and Cello Competition (Preliminary), winning First Prize in Junior Division D and was invited to compete in the finals.
Iris participated in the 2022 Canadian Music Competition (CMC) and advanced to the finals for cello and was ranked 4th place in the 11 years Division. During this year, Iris also got 1st place in the 2022 Pacific Youth Music Festival and has reached the RCM level of ARCT for piano.
The subsequent year of 2023 marked her triumphant win of the first prize for cello at the 10th GOCAA International Music Competition and achieving a perfect 5 on her AP Music Theory Exam and AP Psychology, including reaching the RCM level of ARCT for cello. Additionally, Iris orchestrated her inaugural solo charity concert, using her musical gift to create a meaningful impact.
As a musician, Iris accumulated many performing experiences from charity concerts to community events. She regularly performs in senior care centers. In 2018, she played in “Music for Life” Charity Concert Donate for St. Paul Hospital Foundation. In 2019, she was invited to play in the donation performance for UBC and VGH Hospital Foundation in the VGH Charity Gala. In 2023, Iris played in the donation performance for EGRC Foundation at Christ Church Cathedral, Vancouver. Iris is also an active cello player as a member of the Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra from 2020 and played the cello in the Donate to Vancouver Aquarium Save Aquarium Concert in 2021. Iris held her first solo piano recital on her birthday in 2023, donating all the donations to the EGRC Foundation. She is the winner of VYSO intermediate orchestra and will performance cello solo pieces with orchestra in the Rising Stars concert on March 3 2024. Iris was granted ARCT and awarded first class honours with distinction in Piano and Cello. She was invited to performance Chamber music with Joshua Bell and Chamber Orchestra of America at TED 2025.
As a student at Crofton House School, Iris demonstrates a high level of proficiency in her understanding and extended in many of the concepts covered in the academic area: she has been school champion in the Galois math contest (2024) and placed in the top 25 percentile overall; placed top 25 percentile overall in the Pascal math contest (2024); placed top 2 percentile and school champion for the Hypatia math contest (2025); and placed top 25 percentile in the Cayley math contest (2025). Iris was awarded Certificate of Distinction for scoring in the top 5% on the AMC 10 in 2024, qualified for AIME in 2025, and awarded gold in the 2025 BBO.
Outside of school, Iris organized the JA reading club in 2022, helping students from grades 8-10 in China improve their reading and pronunciation ability in the English language through one-on-one online sessions. Currently, there are more than 40 club members.
Iris has been an active volunteer performing at local seniors' residences for the past four years and continues to perform regularly. She takes particular care to choose repertoire that resonates with the residents she performs for. After a performance of Haydn's Piano Sonata in C Major, one resident---whose hometown is near where Haydn lived---asked to hear more Haydn at a future visit. At her next recital at the senior home, he greeted her by name and was delighted by another Haydn sonata. These ongoing experiences affirm Iris' commitment to serving her community through music.