Felix W.

Composition, Piano

Ruogu Felix W. was born in Xi’an, China, in 2003. He began his piano studies at the age of 4 under the guidance of Xi You, a Steinway Artist and professor at the Central Conservatory of Music. At age 11, he was admitted to the Middle School Affiliated with the Xi’an Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Russian pianist and professor Vladimir Zanin. The following year, he was admitted to the Music Middle School Affiliated with the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, where he distinguished himself as the first place on the entrance list through both musical and academic excellence, while studying with Chinese-Australian pianist and professor William Chen.

In 2021, Ruogu graduated from the Music Middle School Affiliated with the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, and was admitted to the Bachelor of Music program at The Juilliard School, where he studied with Dr. Yoheved Kaplinsky. The same year, he also received offers from Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Peabody Institute of Music, New England Conservatory, and Shanghai Conservatory of Music.

He recently received his Bachelor’s degree and is currently pursuing his Master’s degree at Juilliard under the tutelage of Dr. Yoheved Kaplinsky and Professor Robert McDonald.

Ruogu has cultivated an extensive international performance profile. He made his debut at age 7 at the Xi’an Concert Hall and gave his first solo recital in 2015 at the Art Center of the Xi’an Conservatory of Music. In 2016, he presented his second solo recital in Shanghai and was invited to perform at Cortile Palazzo Monsignani in Imola, Italy, as a prize winner of the 5th Piano Competition of the Imola Summer Piano Music Academy and Festival. In 2018, he performed at Ettlingen Stadthalle as a laureate of the 16th International Piano Competition for Young Pianists in Ettlingen, Germany.

As a concerto soloist, Ruogu has performed with numerous orchestras around the world. In 2016, he performed Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No.1 with Australian conductor Dane Lam and the Xi’an Symphony Orchestra at the Xi’an Concert Hall. That same year, he appeared as both soloist and conductor, playing Mozart’s Piano Concerto in A major, K.414 with the Orchestra da Camera di Imola at the Cortile Palazzo Monsignani in Imola, Italy. In 2017, he performed Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No.3 with the Shanghai Opera House Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Muhai Tang at the Shanghai Concert Hall. Most recently, as a laureate of the 2nd Ke’alohi International Piano Competition, he performed Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No.2 with Maestro Andrew Grams and the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra at Blaisdell Concert Hall in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States in August of 2025.

As a laureate of the 9th André Dumortier International Piano Competition, he performed Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No.5 with Maestro Philippe Gérard and the Orchestra of the Chapelle Musicale de Tournai at the Grand Hall of Maison de la Culture in Tournai, Belgium in October 2025.

An experienced and versatile collaborator, Ruogu is one of the most active performers at Juilliard, regularly participating in interdisciplinary projects with the Juilliard Dance Division. He has also appeared with the Juilliard Orchestra, AXIOM, and the Juilliard Chamber Orchestra, and currently serves as an official accompanist for both the Juilliard Preparatory Division and the Juilliard Vocal Arts Department. In addition to his pianistic accomplishments, Ruogu is a dedicated and talented composer. His original works have been premiered in Shanghai (2017, 2018), Aspen (2022), New York City (2023, 2024, 2025), Fontainebleau (2024), Spoleto (2024), and Hunter, NY (2023, 2024, 2025). Most recently, Ruogu presented a solo recital at Juilliard in November 2025.

Ruogu is a recipient of numerous prizes from prestigious piano competitions across the world, including 1st Prize at the 4th Shenzhen Open Piano Competition (2014), 2nd Prize at the 15th Hsing-Hai Cup National Youth Piano Competition (2014), 1st Prize and the Premio al Talento Florence Marzotto Daniel at the 5th Imola Summer Piano Music Academy and Festival (2016), Semifinalist award at the inaugural Arthur Rubinstein International Youth Piano Competition (2016), 2nd Prize at the 8th Steinway National Youth Piano Competition (2017), 4th Prize at the 16th Ettlingen International Piano Competition for Young Pianists (2018), and 2nd Prize at the 17th Hsing-Hai Cup National Youth Piano Competition (2018). Recent accolades include the Special Artist Prize Una Finestra dei Due Mondi at the Spoleto Festival dei Due Mondi (2024), 3rd Prize at the 9th City of Vigo International Piano Competition (2025), 3rd Prize at the 2nd Ke’alohi International Piano Competition (2025), 1st Prize at the 5th Pacific Stars International Piano Competition (2025), 2nd Prize at the 2nd Dinu Lipatti International Piano Competition (2025), 1st Prize and the Grand Prize in both solo and concerto category at the 2nd Ocean Music International Piano Competition (2025), 3rd Prize at the 9th André Dumortier International Piano Competition (2025), 1st Absolute Prize (Debussy/Ravel Category) & double 1st Prizes (Mozart/Haydn/Clementi Category & Chopin/Liszt Category) at the 5th Champion’s Keyboard International Piano Competition (2025), 1st Prize at the 13th WPTA International Piano Competition (2025), 2nd Prize at the 5th WPTA Spain International Piano Competition (2026), and 2nd Prize at the 2nd Silicon Valley Open Doors International Piano Competition (2026). Ruogu is an alumnus of Aspen Music Festival and School (2019, 2022), Academy of Fortepiano Performance (2023–2025), Fontainebleau School ofAmerican Arts (2024), and Kneisel Hall Chamber Music Festival and School (2025).