Piano Instructor
Run Li
Pianist & Piano Educator
Founder of Lirun Piano Studio
Ms. Li is a distinguished Steinway & Sons Top Teacher and Educational Partner. A graduate of both Bard College and the New England Conservatory, she holds a Master of Music degree and a Graduate Performance Diploma in Piano Performance. During her time at Bard, she studied under the tutelage of the world-renowned concert pianist and conductor, Benjamin Hochman, and with Rieko Aizawa, the principal pianist of the Horszowski Trio.
In 2021, Ms. Li was honored as one of the Official Travel Image Ambassadors of Qingdao, China. Her expertise and reputation have led her to judge numerous prestigious international competitions, earning the instructor's award multiple times. From 2018 to 2020, she garnered several educational accolades from organizations such as the Crescendo International Music Competition and the American Protégé International Music Talent Competition. In 2021, she was a judge at the 7th Internationaler Deutscher Irmler-Klavierwettbewerb China Regional Semifinals and served on the Expert Panels for the 2021 Qingdao Piano Competition.
The following year, she was invited by the Macao Piano Competition Organization to judge their 11th International Piano Competition. Additionally, she served as a jury member for the 19th Xinghai Cup Piano Competition, one of China’s most prestigious piano competitions. In June, she was selected as the China Regional judge for the Blüthner-Internationales Festival der Musikkunst and the third Deutsch-Ronisch-Internationale Klavierwettbwerb.
Ms. Li has performed a multitude of concerts across various music genres as the principal pianist for Bard Chamber Orchestra. She is a highly active solo and collaborative pianist, gracing stages worldwide. Her performances span over 20 colleges and organizations, including the New England Conservatory, Berklee College of Music, The Juilliard School, and the Manhattan School of Music. She has served as a music director for productions at Triton Regional High School, Lasell College, and Xaverian Brother High School.
In 2018, Ms. Li founded the Lirun Piano Studio in the Greater Boston area. Her students have won numerous international and national competitions, performing alongside luminaries such as Richard Clayderman during his Boston visit, and in illustrious venues like Carnegie Hall, Jordan Hall, and Symphony Hall.
Voice Instructor
Zizhao Wang
Operatic Bass-Baritone
Co-Founder of Lirun Piano Studio
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Chinese-born bass-baritone Zizhao Wang has enchanted audiences with his elegant singing and remarkable vocal flexibility in the operatic and classical repertoires. A graduate of the New England Conservatory, Zizhao honed his craft under the guidance of Bradley Williams. He joins the Boston Lyric Opera for 2024-2025 season as a Jane & Steven Akin Emerging Artist.
He won the 1st prize at the 2013 Singapore Chinese Vocal International Competition. In 2019, he was awarded the 2nd place in the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition New England Regional Finals and was named the Boston District Winner the same year. He was selected to join the Santa Fe Opera’s prestigious Apprentice Program in 2020. As a Young Artist, he joined the Glimmerglass Festival for the 2024 summer festival season.
The 2022-2023 season marked a milestone in Zizhao’s career with his compelling debut as Bartolo in the season finale production of Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro at Knoxville Opera. His versatility was further showcased in the 2023-2024 season opener with Opera Southwest’s production of Rossini’s L’occasione fa il ladro, where he delivered a memorable performance as Martino. Returning to the New England Conservatory as a Guest Artist in 2024, Zizhao breathed new life into the role of Colline in Puccini’s La Bohème. His house debut with Virginia Opera in Puccini’s masterpiece Madama Butterfly, where he portrayed the Imperial Commissioner and covered Bonzo, was met with critical acclaim. In the 2024 Glimmerglass Festival season, he covered Giove in La Calisto and Uncle/Witness #9 in Elizabeth Cree. As he joins the Boston Lyric Opera for the 2024-2025 season, he will enchant audiences at the Boston Public Library’s “Concert in the Courtyard” event and cover the role of Cosmic Weatherman in the world premiere of Sarah Ruhl and Vivaldi’s The Seasons, starring the renowned countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo. In 2025, Zizhao will embody the characters of Tiger & Rooster in the revival of opera The Big Swim with Houston Grand Opera and Asia Society of Texas.
Zizhao’s early career highlights include his stellar performance as Alidoro in Rossini’s La Cenerentola and a soloist role in “Bernstein Mass” under the baton of Keith Lockhart at the Janiec Opera Company & Brevard Music Center in 2018. His triumphant return to his hometown with an all-star cast for the world premiere of Country & Home with the Tsingtao Opera Theater at the 2021 Chinese National Opera Festival was a crowning achievement. The Peninsula City News lauded his Tsingtao Concert Hall recital, “Love to Hometown,” for its profound impact on the local cultural scene.
“This recital attracted many people in the city during the best touring season and pushed the classical music and opera to the public in a brilliant way.”
His other notable operatic roles including, Sarastro in The Magic Flute, Simone in Gianni Schicchi, Bass in Postcard from Morocco, Bartolo in Le Nozze di Figaro, Elviro in Serse, La Voce in Idomeneo, and King Balthazar in Amahl and the Night Visitors.