Currently the Resident Conductor of the Macao Chinese Orchestra since the 2025–26 season, Liao Yuan-Yu is recognised as one of the most prominent young conductors of our time. With passionate energy and an open artistic vision, he has been actively engaged in the music scene. From 2021 to 2025, he served as Resident Conductor of the Sichuan Symphony Orchestra and Principal Conductor of Tianzi Chinese Music, and in recent years also as Music Director of Sichuan Wuliang Yunxiang Film and Media Co., Ltd. In these roles, he has actively promoted the development and planning of innovative orchestra models, dedicated to creating versatile, cross-genre ensembles without boundaries in instrumentation or formation.
After graduating from Tainan National University of the Arts, Liao was admitted at the top of his class to the Master’s programme in Orchestral Conducting at Taipei University of the Arts, successfully obtaining his degree. During his studies, he trained under several renowned maestros, including Ku Pao-wen, Chang Chia-yun, Chang Chia-chung, and Fusao Kajima, laying a solid foundation for his conducting skills and musical aesthetics.
In the 3rd International Chinese Music Conducting Competition, Liao won First Prize, formally launching his professional conducting career. Since then, he has been invited to collaborate with various orchestras as guest conductor, performing programmes that span Chinese, Western, and contemporary works, showcasing his versatility and artistic mastery across disciplines.
In recent years, Liao has also actively explored the field of contemporary music. He conducted the Sichuan Symphony Orchestra Soloists’ Chamber Ensemble at the 2nd Hangzhou Contemporary Music Festival. He was frequently invited to perform at concerts organised by the Asian Composers League, including serving as conductor for the closing concert of its 50th anniversary series. In 2019, he co-curated and served as Chief Conductor for a music festival jointly organised with the Basel Symphony Orchestra – Decibells Percussion Ensemble from Switzerland, marking the first in-depth collaboration between a Chinese orchestra and a European percussion ensemble. The festival, held in Taichung, lasted a week and was widely acclaimed for its comprehensive scale and diverse formats.
Firmly believing in the transformative power of education, Liao has always nurtured a deep passion for orchestral training. He has taught at the Sichuan Conservatory of Music, where he also conducted its Chinese Orchestra. Since 2022, he has been the Music Director and Conductor of Shude High School in Chengdu, where he actively promotes the institutional and professional development of the school orchestra, leading it to repeatedly win First Prizes at both the Sichuan Provincial and National Primary and Secondary School Arts Festivals. Under the recommendation of conductor Liu Jiangbin, he has also travelled to Beijing, Zhangzhou, and Xiamen to train student orchestras, achieving remarkable results in just a few years.
Liao believes that the essence of conducting lies in “touching emotions and inspiring lives through life itself”. His motto, “Only when you walk with heart will it be worth remembering”, reflects his respect for every collaborative journey with an orchestra. He continues to pursue the true meaning of music and takes to the stage with wholehearted dedication, making music his way of conversing with the world.
