Albert Dong, 16, is a cellist originally from Washington state who began studying cello at age 7 after moving to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. At 12, he joined the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra (PYSO), where he studied under Adam Liu and served as principal cellist since 2023. This summer, Albert was selected to join the National Youth Orchestra (NYO2) in New York and their tour of the Dominican Republic. He made his solo debut at age 15, performing Dvořák’s Cello Concerto at Heinz Hall after winning the PYSO Concerto Competition.
Albert is a prizewinner of a multitude of national and international competitions, including the Young Soloist International Music Competition, the Bach International Music Competition, and the American Virtuoso International Music Competition. His performances have taken him to renowned venues such as Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh, Casa da Música in Porto, Portugal, and multiple venues across China.
Albert has performed in masterclasses and taken lessons with distinguished artists including Hai-Ye Ni, John Koen, Mark Livshits, and Kimberly Fischer, among others. In addition to solo and orchestral playing, Albert is an avid chamber musician, performing with the “Red Spruce Quartet”, his chamber group, throughout the Pittsburgh area in volunteer events and competitions.
Beyond music, Albert engages in neuroscience research at the University of Pittsburgh. In his free time, he enjoys playing tennis.