YI Cheng is currently serving as an Assistant Professor (Teaching) of clarinet at the School of Music, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen. He is also the permanent guest principal clarinet of Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra, the National First-level Performer, a holder of Clarinet Konzertexam Certificate of Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin, Germany, a French Buffet Crampon Clarinet Artist, Director, and Artistic Director of Shenzhen Poly International Youth Band as well as a recipient of Guangdong Province Top Ten Stage Rookie, was a Visiting Professor of Shenzhen University.

YI Cheng started his clarinet learning under the guidance of Prof. Dong Dejun, the clarinet professor at Shenyang Conservatory of Music. He won the first prize at the Beijing International Clarinet Music Festival Competition in 1998 and the second prize at the China Northeast States Winds Competition in 1999. In 2001, Cheng was the only clarinet player who had been enrolled in the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin, Germany, and obtained the master’s degree and Konzertexam Certificate. During his study period in Germany, he studied under Prof. Diethelm Kuhn, the Principal Clarinet of the German Radio Symphony Orchestra and well-known clarinet player Mr. Karl Leister. Besides, he also studied under Mr. Wenzel Fuchs, the Principal Clarinet of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, and studied clarinet orchestral performance with Prof. Ralf Foster, the Principal Clarinet of the Berlin Symphony Orchestra. In 2004, he was selected by Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler to attend the masterclass of Prof. Norbert Kaiser at the International Music Festival Masterclasses in Obersdorf, Germany with a full scholarship. “I realized that YI Cheng is not only an excellent and serious player but also a rarely talented musician with a sensitive sense of music. His passionate and elegant tone reflects his personal character…” said Prof. Norbert Kaiser at the International Music Festival Masterclasses in Obersdorf, Germany.

In 2003, he was appointed Principal Clarinet of the German Berlin Radio Philharmonic Orchestra (RIAS). He has toured with the orchestra to Italy, Poland, Austria, and Russia among others for concerts. In 2005, he toured with the RIAS to several cities of his homeland such as Shanghai, Beijing, and Hangzhou for the New Year Celebration concert tour, which was conducted by the famous conductor Markus Poschner. The concert was a great success and received praises from the professionals and audiences. In August, Cheng was invited to perform a solo recital at the Xi’an International Clarinet Art Festival with praises from Western musicians. In October, he made his solo debut as Ravid’s clarinet, violin, and piano concerto, which was conducted by Prof. Thomas Clamor, the Trumpet Principal of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. In the same year, he was invited as Guest Principal Clarinet by the Berlin Youth Symphony Orchestra to tour with Mr. Simon Rattle, the former Artistic Director of the Berlin Philharmonic. The concert was broadcast live on the German National Radio TV Channel.

From 2018 to 2023, he had been appointed as principal clarinet of the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra. He has successively toured with the orchestra in more than 20 countries around the world and had pleasant collaborations with many local and foreign artists, and his performance has won praise from many conductors. As a soloist, he has performed a series of famous clarinet works with the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra many times with great success. He also served as the Artistic Director of the International Clarinet Art Week organized by the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra, and the event has won unanimous praise.