Taiwan-born violist Chieh-I (Candy) Yang is an international orchestral and chamber musician who values the importance of being an ambassador to audiences in many roles as a storyteller and traveler’s guide in the concert hall.

Candy began her musical studies on the violin but did not discover her true passion for music until the age of 14 when she was introduced to the viola. After just one year of playing the viola, she traveled to Vienna to study at the Musikgymnasium as an exchange student. Living and performing in a city populated with students from all over the world opened Candy’s eyes to the powerful effects music could have on herself and others. Upon her return to Taiwan, she continued studying viola with Professor Yi-Wen Chao.

Candy has performed with several orchestras including the National Ching Shuei Symphony Orchestra (2013–2015). Since 2016, she has played with the Juilliard Orchestra and the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra.

Candy has also participated and performed in many festivals including Taipei Music Academy and Festival (2020). In 2019, as a New Horizon fellow at the Aspen Music Festival, she served as assistant principal viola in the Aspen Music Festival Orchestra.  

Candy is the recipient of numerous scholarships, including the Nelly Walter Scholarship and C.V. Starr Scholarship from The Juilliard School. Most notably in 2018, Candy was awarded the prestigious International Pacing Art Culture Education Rising Star Award. Candy received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from The Juilliard School studying with Heidi Castleman, Hsin-Yun Huang, Matthew Lipman, and Samuel Rhodes. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Manhattan School of Music under the guidance of Samuel Rhodes.