Violist joins Manhattan School of Music faculty

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The Manhattan School of Music (MSM) has announced the addition of violist Cong Wu to its classical strings faculty, effective immediately. The classical strings faculty is headed by chair Nicholas Mann and Wu has already begun accepting students for the 2024-25 academic year.

MSM has also announced the appointment of pianist David Fung to its piano faculty.

’David and Cong are wonderful new faculty additions to our impressive and inspiring piano and strings departments at MSM,’ said MSM executive vice president and provost Joyce Griggs.

’As MSM continues to build on its 106 years of excellence, it is exciting to welcome these talented and creative artist-educators to the School – and in the case of Cong, who earned his doctorate at MSM, to welcome him home.’

As an educator, Wu has taught at the Shanghai Orchestra Academy and previously served on the faculty of SUNY Purchase College Conservatory of Music, as well as been a guest faculty member of the National Arts Centre Summer Music Institute in Canada. He has been invited to give masterclasses at the Mead Witter School of Music (University of Wisconsin-Madison), China Conservatory of Music, Hong Kong Baptist University, and the Renmin University of China.

Wu joined the New York Philharmonic as assistant principal viola, the Norma and Lloyd Chazen Chair, in September 2018. He is the winner of the third prize and the Chamber Music prize in the 14th Primrose International Viola Competition, and of the Special prize in the 12th Tertis International Viola Competition. His performances throughout North America and Asia include solo appearances with the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, New York Classical Players, and the Long Island Concert Orchestra.

As a chamber musician, Wu has collaborated with artists such as Christoph Eschenbach, David Finckel, Hilary Hahn, Itzhak Perlman, Peter Wiley, Pinchas Zukerman, the American Quartet, and many New York Philharmonic musicians. He appears regularly with the Jupiter Symphony Chamber Players, East Coast Chamber Orchestra, and New York Classical Players.

Born in Jinan, China, Wu moved to New York in 2010 after graduating from the Beijing Central Conservatory of Music. He holds a master’s degree from The Juilliard School and a doctoral degree with the Helen Cohn Award from MSM. His teachers have included Wing Ho, Heidi Castleman, Hsin-Yun Huang, Patinka Kopec, and Pinchas Zukerman.

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