Jiaqi (Jacky) Liu

Jiaqi (Jacky) Liu is a Chinese composer based in New York City whose work is recognized for its poetic intensity, structural clarity, and emotional depth. His compositions explore themes of compassion, belonging, and human interconnectedness, drawing from philosophical and literary influences that invite reflection rather than spectacle. His musical language balances dramatic architecture with lyrical introspection, creating works that are both immediate and enduring.

A recipient of the Frederick Loewe Scholarship in Composition at The Juilliard School, Liu studies under Pulitzer Prize–winning composer Melinda Wagner. He has received numerous national and international honors, including the Arthur Friedman Prize from the Juilliard Orchestra Competition, the Charles Ives Award in Chamber Music from The American Prize, the ASCAP Foundation Morton Gould Young Composer Award, and the Juilliard Gena Raps String Quartet Prize, among others. These distinctions reflect not only technical accomplishment, but the emergence of a distinctive compositional voice within contemporary concert music.

Liu’s works have been performed across North America, Europe, and Asia. His music has been presented at Lincoln Center and other major venues, including orchestral and chamber premieres with The Juilliard Orchestra and leading conductors. His symphonic and chamber works demonstrate a command of large-scale form while maintaining an intimate sensitivity to texture and gesture. Collaborations with professional ensembles and touring chamber groups further underscore the versatility and performance vitality of his writing.

In addition to his compositional activity, Liu is engaged in pedagogy and mentorship. He has served on faculty at a regional music conservatory and has been invited to adjudicate youth composition competitions. An active member of ASCAP and the Society of Composers and Lyricists, he remains committed to the evolving role of the composer within contemporary cultural dialogue.