“Fierce, with graceful gestures and attention to detail.” — KlasikaPlus.cz

Taiwan-born conductor and pianist Dr. Yuchi Chou is recognized for her refined musicianship, expressive artistry, and thoughtful leadership. She has served as Music Director and Conductor of the Seattle Festival Orchestra since 2023 and as Conductor of the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra’s Junior Symphony Orchestra since 2022. From 2022 to 2025, she served as Assistant Conductor of the Seattle Collaborative Orchestra.

Dr. Chou’s conducting career has taken her to orchestras and festivals in the United States and Europe. In 2026, she served as Adjunct Faculty and Conductor for the International Concerto Festival with the Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic in the Czech Republic. She was selected by the International Conductors Guild in 2024 to conduct the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra under the mentorship of JoAnn Falletta. A prizewinner of the 2021 International Conductors Competition and Workshop in Atlanta and a finalist in the International Ernő Lányi Competition, she has also participated in fellowships with the Vienna Philharmonic at the Salzburg Festival, the Aspen Music Festival, and the Allentown Symphony. In November 2026, she is invited to participate in the final rounds of the Pehlivanian International Conducting Competition in Slovenia.

As both conductor and pianist, Dr. Chou has performed at Carnegie Hall, Chicago Symphony Hall, Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco, and Severance Hall in Cleveland. She holds a Doctorate in Orchestral Conducting from Northwestern University, with prior studies at the San Francisco Conservatory and Oberlin Conservatory.

Based on Mercer Island, Dr. Chou is deeply committed to teaching and mentorship. She maintains a private piano studio and serves as President of the Bellevue Federated Music Club. Away from music, she enjoys tending her backyard beehive—a giant orchestra of honeybees!