Bay Area-native Ashley Ng is a passionate Chinese-American cellist whose musical interests encompass solo, chamber, and orchestral music, as well as contemporary styles and film music. She made her international debut in Hong Kong in May 2015, collaborating with acclaimed pianist, Stephen Wong; they performed together again in January 2017 and have upcoming projects in the works, having recently performed at MIT in June 2018. Ashley’s interest in concertizing and love for chamber music has also allowed her opportunities to perform in both Northern and Southern California.
She most recently won first place for the Great Composers Competition: The Music of 18th Century category in June 2017. Additionally, she was awarded second place for Best Bach Performance and third place for The Music of 20th Century. Ashley participated in the 2016 Heifetz International Music Institute Ashkenasi/Kirshbaum Chamber Music Seminar, in which she worked closely with Shmuel Ashkenasi and Ralph Kirshbaum. She has taken masterclasses with artists such as Desmond Hoebig, Peter Wyrick, Peter Gelfand, Amy Sue Barston, Daniel Rothmuller, Thomas Landschoot, and Patrice Jackson.
Weathering the snowy blizzards of Boston, Ashley recently completed her master’s degree in 2017 at The Boston Conservatory under the tutelage of the fantastic Rhonda Rider. She played in the New England Philharmonic (2015-2016) and Boston Chamber Symphony and worked as a Collegiate Ambassador at the Boston Symphony Orchestra. She also performed with Jacob Collier at MIT in 2016 as part of a MIT/Berklee ensemble.
Ashley completed her undergraduate degree at Azusa Pacific University in Southern California, where she graduated magna cum laude, and studied under Dr. Marek Szpakiewicz, for whom she was studio assistant. As a senior, she was selected to perform J.S. Bach’s Suite No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1008 in the 2nd Annual Collaborative Bach Recital alongside Midori Goto’s studio. During her sophomore year, Ashley represented the undergraduate cello studio in a private recital for the National Association of Schools of Music in 2013. In 2015, she traveled to China with an APU-based quartet and performed in Suzhou, Nanjing, Beijing, and at the Masterworks Festival in Zhengzhou. She left APU with a total of six recitals under her belt.
Additionally, Ashley joined the Liturgical Chapel Band at APU, as well, as she enjoys improvising in an acoustical band setting. She is a founder of the Azure String Quartet, an international all-female group that played throughout the LA area. She also taught privately at Lee’s Music Store and Conservatoire in Arcadia and played in the Santa Monica Symphony and YMF Debut Orchestra.
Ashley's musical studies started with piano lessons from age four and cello lessons at age eight. She participated in the San Jose Youth Symphony, San Jose Youth Chamber Orchestra, and served as principal cellist in the Silicon Valley Alliance Church Life Orchestra. Choir being her second love, Ashley has had opportunities to perform at the American Choral Directors Association, National Collegiate Choral Organization, and won first place with APU Chamber Singers at the 50th International Competition for Choirs in Spittal an der Drau, Austria.
Ashley recently completed her Professional Studies Certificate within Boston Conservatory at Berklee, continuing with Rhonda Rider and served as Chamber Music Assistant to Judith Eissenberg throughout her time there. She returns to the sunny skies of Southern California, where she seeks to freelance and perform.