Yi-Lan Niu started her music training at the age of 4. She completed her master’s degree in voice at the Eastman School of Music and her doctoral degree in vocal performance at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Throughout her academic career, Niu has been the recipient of numerous awards and scholarships including the Joyce and William Wartmann Scholarship, UW-Madison Opera Props Award and scholarships to the Hot Springs Music Festival, the Madison Early Music Festival and the Vancouver Early Music Festival. 

A versatile performer, Niu presents a wide range of vocal music from Renaissance lute songs by John Dowland to the contemporary, minimalistic music of Steve Reich. Niu has appeared as a featured soloist with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Chamber Orchestra, the Dudley Birder Chorale, Civic Symphony of Green Bay and the St. Norbert College Chamber Singers & Wind Ensemble. She has been acclaimed for her performances of major works including “Gloria” by Antonio Vivaldi, “Messiah” by George Frideric Handel, “Carmina Burana” by Carl Orff, “Lord Nelson Mass” by Joseph Haydn and “Magnificat” by John Rutter. Her numerous operatic roles include Clorinda in “Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda,” Costanza in “La Griselda,” Serpina in “La Serva Padrona,” Sandman from “Hansel & Gretel,” Diane from “Orpheus in the Underworld” and Papagena in “The Magic Flute.”

Collaborating frequently with classical guitarist Christopher Cramer, Niu promotes a wide range of music written for voice and guitar. The Niu-Cramer duo has performed throughout North America and Asia, including the United States, Canada, Taiwan and Singapore. Niu also actively premieres vocal pieces written for her, including “Requiem” by New York-based composer Alexander Nohai-Seaman and the contemporary song cycle “Yuan Songs” by Professor Chi-Wei Hui from Hong Kong.

Niu’s engagements include a 2018 solo recital with organist Professor John Chappel Stowe from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and two world-premiere concerts with award-winning composers Professor John Hennecken and Ms. Shing-Ying Lin in 2020. Her vocal album, “Melodié Sacrée-Sacred Music by Gounod,” was released by Centaur Records in 2019.

Niu is a professor in vocal studies and former director of the Opera Workshop Program. Her previous projects include the full productions “La Perichole,” “Hansel & Gretel,” “The Bagger’s Opera” and “Sister Angelica,” as well as scenes from “Le Nozze di Figaro,” “Rosenkavalier,” “Falstaff,” “La Cenerentola,” “La Fille du Régiment,” “Carmen” and “Telephone.”