Teng Li has been appointed principal viola at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra has appointed Teng Li as principal viola, effective September 15. Li is currently principal viola of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, a position she has held since 2018. At the CSO, she will succeed Charles Pikler, principal viola from 1986 until 2017. Li-Kuo Chang, assistant principal viola from 1988 until 2023, served as acting principal viola from 2017 until his retirement in 2023. Prior to Los Angeles, Teng Li was principal viola for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra for 14 seasons. She has appeared with ensembles including the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, National Chamber Orchestra, Munich Chamber Orchestra, Shanghai Opera Symphony Orchestra, and Esprit Orchestra. Li is a founding member of the Rosamunde Quartet with violinists Noah Bendix-Balgley and Shanshan Yao and cellist Nathan Vickery; has appeared at the Marlboro, Santa Fe, Rome, Cleveland, La Jolla, and Moritzburg (Germany) music festivals, and performed as part of the Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society Two program. Li has been recognized with prizes at competitions and was a winner of the Astral Artistic Services’ 2003 National Auditions. Originally from Nanjing, China, Li graduated from the Central Conservatory in Beijing and the Curtis Institute of Music. Li will join the faculty of Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts in 2024-25.
