Yi-An Xu is an Israeli conductor, composer, and one of Israel's leading conducting pedagogues. Alongside his conducting career, he has built a distinguished reputation as an educator, pianist, and opera conductor.
Xu has been a faculty member at the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music at Tel Aviv University since 2005, where he is Associate Professor of Orchestral Conducting. In addition to teaching orchestral conducting, he coaches singers in the Vocal Department and serves as conductor and pianist for the School's opera productions. Since the 2019–2020 season, he has been Resident Conductor of the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music Symphony Orchestra.
As a guest conductor, Xu has appeared with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Israel Symphony Orchestra Rishon LeZion, Israel Chamber Orchestra, and Israel Sinfonietta Be'er Sheva. Among his notable conducting engagements was conducting the final rounds of the Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Competition. Outside Israel, his conducting engagements have included the English Chamber Orchestra and major orchestras in China, including the Shanghai Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra, Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra, Qingdao Symphony Orchestra, Guiyang Symphony Orchestra, and the Macau Orchestra.
Over more than two decades, Xu has taught and trained generations of conductors, many of whom have gone on to distinguished professional careers with orchestras and opera companies around the world.
As a pianist, Xu has worked with emerging and internationally established singers alike. He has appeared as pianist in masterclasses led by distinguished artists including Hilde Zadek, Thomas Hampson, Anna Lucia Richter, Charles Spencer, Graham Johnson, and Hartmut Höll. He has collaborated closely with
Prof. Tamar Rachum for more than two decades.
In 2026, Xu was appointed to the Board of Governors of the Jerusalem Music Centre under the presidency of Maestro Murray Perahia.
