Contact Information
Name: Shuying Li
Title: Assistant Professor of Music
Office Phone: (916) 278-6472
Education : DMA, University of Michigan
Courses Taught : Music Theory and Composition
Profile
Get to Know Me!
1. What do you like about teaching?
I like the moment when something clicks for a student—when an abstract idea suddenly becomes something they can hear, shape, and own. In composition and theory, that shift is everything. It’s not just about learning rules; it’s about developing a voice and gaining the confidence to use it.
I also enjoy working with students who are willing to engage seriously with the process. When there’s trust and mutual effort, teaching becomes a real exchange rather than a one-way transfer of information. Those are the moments that remind me why I do this—because I’m not just teaching skills, I’m helping someone become more articulate, more intentional, and more aware as an artist.
2. What else do you do besides music?
Outside of music, I try to stay physically active—I go to the gym regularly and enjoy spending time outdoors when I can. Traveling is also important to me, both for work and personally, because it gives me perspective and keeps me inspired in a different way.
I’m also a mom to a 10-year-old, which is a big part of my life. He plays cello, swims, and plays hockey, so I spend a lot of time in the role of driver, scheduler, and cheerleader. It’s busy, but I value that balance—it keeps me grounded and connected to life outside of my own work.
3. What has surprised you most about your career in music? How have your musical aspirations changed over time?
What has surprised me most is how nonlinear everything is. There isn’t a single path, and progress rarely looks the way you expect it to. Opportunities often come from relationships, persistence, and simply continuing to show up over time.
Earlier in my career, I was focused on proving myself—getting performances, building a résumé, reaching certain milestones. Now, my priorities have shifted. I’m more interested in writing music that feels necessary to me and building long-term artistic relationships with performers and organizations. The external markers still matter, but they’re no longer the primary driver. The work itself has to be meaningful.
Professional Bio
Shuying Li is an award-winning composer whose music has been praised as “vivid, dramatic” (San Francisco Chronicle), “enjoyable” (Gramophone), and showcasing “an incredible span of compositional toolbox” (American Record Guide). Described as “a real talent” (The Seattle Times), she writes bold, emotionally charged music that blends rich colors with compelling storytelling, aiming to connect with audiences through universal human experiences and emotions.
Originally from China, Shuying began her musical training at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music before earning a scholarship to continue her undergraduate studies at The Hartt School. She holds master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Michigan and is currently on the faculty at California State University, Sacramento. Previously, she directed the Composition/Music Theory program at Gonzaga University and served as research faculty at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music.
Her works have been performed by major orchestras and ensembles worldwide, including the San Francisco Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Santa Rosa Symphony, Boston Modern Orchestra Project, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, Alarm Will Sound, and The President’s Own United States Marine Band. Her music is also championed by prominent chamber groups such as Windscape, Chinook Winds, Argus Quartet, Donald Sinta Quartet, and the Chamber Music Society of Central Virginia, as well as international ensembles including Orkest de ereprijs (Netherlands), Avanti! Chamber Orchestra (Finland), ICon Arts Ensemble (Romania), Cecilia Quartet (Canada), 15.19. Ensemble (Italy), Ascanio Quartet (Italy), and Atlas Ensemble (Netherlands), among others.
Shuying’s accolades include awards and grants from OPERA America, the Fromm Music Foundation, the Alice M. Ditson Fund, the Copland House Residency Award, China National Arts Fund, ASCAP/CBDNA Frederick Fennell Prize, The American Prize, the International Antonin Dvorak Composition Competition, the International Huang Zi Composition Competition, and the Melta International Composition Competition, among others. Her opera-in-development with librettist Julian Crouch received the OPERA America Discovery Grant and was workshopped at Houston Grand Opera.
Beyond composition, Shuying is committed to fostering cultural dialogue through music. She founded the Four Corners Ensemble, dedicated to championing new works and cross-cultural storytelling, with performances at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Hall, OPERA America, and the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. She also launched the Operation Opera Festival, an annual initiative supporting composers, vocalists, and pianists in developing new chamber operas and art songs. Four Corners’s debut album, World Map, featuring a series of chamber concertos by Shuying, has received acclaim in Gramophone, American Record Guide, Pizzicato, and Take Effect.