David Xinkai Xia

Young Steinway Artist, David Xinkai Xia, commenced his music journey at the age of seven for the palette of emotions capable of being expressed. Over the past ten years, his understanding of music’s purpose shifted from being a source of intrapersonal contemplation to one of interpersonal joy; this process was brought to life by his first piano teacher, Fiona Zhang, who prompted David to share his music with others. David currently studies classical piano with UBC professor Corey Hamm and has studied jazz piano under Steinway Artist John Stetch. He has performed for Steinway Artists Gary Graffman, Ilana Vered, Hans-Peter Stenzl, and Volker Stenzl, as well as acclaimed pianists like Wolfgang Wagenhäuser.

David co-founded and leads a jazz trio, the Neapolitan Tritone, that experiments with morphing classical repertoire into jazz standards. The group has also performed at senior homes and events benefitting institutions like the BC Children’s Hospital. David is also an avid solo improviser, working off nothing but spontaneous creativity.

Along the way, David has been the recipient of numerous accolades including First Place – with a scholarship – in the Crescendo International Music Competition and was invited to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York, Third Place in the Canadian Music Competition, two-time Silver at the Steinway Piano Competition, and Gold with an invitation to Nationals at both the British Columbia Interior Jazz Festival and the Vancouver Kiwanis Jazz Festival. He has also won the Canadian Young Artist Standards of Excellence Award. David made his orchestral debut at the age of ten with the New Westminster Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Jin Zhang. With the philosophy that music is for sharing in mind, David has been converting his passions to serve his community. He regularly hosts and performs in numerous charity galas and founded a registered not-for-profit, Musicians Beyond Barlines Society, in 2020