Kelly Kai Li Yong

Kelly Kai Li Yong is an active pianist and educator. She performs as a soloist and collaborative pianist, giving solo performances in both Malaysia and the USA. Additionally, she performs duets, including four-hand and two-piano pieces, and has participated in showcases and chamber recitals in both formats. Kelly also performs for student recitals, recordings, auditions, and juries, working with vocalists, instrumentalists, choirs, and worship teams.

Actively involved in teaching, Kelly was selected for the FunKey Piano Project at Texas State University. Upon her admission to Texas State University, she was awarded a Graduate Merit Fellowship and a Keyboard Scholarship and currently holds a Graduate Instructional Assistantship. She organized a music workshop at Miri Gospel Chapel Pujut, where she taught youngsters fundamental music knowledge and prepared them to lead church services and the choir. As the president, conductor, and pianist at SMK Chung Hua Miri, she led the choir to multiple championships from 2014 to 2018. She received the Best Conductor Award at the Miri Inter-School Patriotic Song Choir Competition in 2017.

Kelly holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance from the University of Malaya, where she graduated summa cum laude under the tutelage of Dr. Poon Chiew Hwa. She earned her Associate and Licentiate performance diplomas with distinction from Trinity College London in 2015 and 2016, respectively. She has had the privilege of participating in masterclasses with numerous distinguished pianists from around the world, including Dr. Sungeun Park, Luu Hong Quang, Jacqueline Yeung, Krzysztof Slomiak, Loo Bang Hean, Ng Chong Lim, Sylvia Loh, and Lena Ching. Kelly is currently pursuing her Master of Music in Piano Performance at Texas State University under the tutelage of Dr. Jason Kwak.