About US
Almost Quintet Trio is an emerging chamber trio founded in 2025 by three University of Kansas alumni who reconnected in California and discovered a shared passion for musical collaboration. Founding members, pianist/organist Dr. Peiyao Yu, soprano Dr. Zhengyingyue "Elaine" Huang, and violinist/violist Dr. Xiaohui Yan, bring together diverse instrumental capabilities that allow them to explore unique repertoire combinations. Their name reflects this versatility: while currently performing as a trio, their collective mastery of multiple instruments points toward future possibilities beyond a fixed roster.
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United by their commitment to championing contemporary composers, particularly underrepresented voices, Almost Quintet presents programs that span from beloved classical works to cutting-edge new music, with the ultimate goal of a future where no composer's work need be labeled "underrepresented". Their 2025 season spotlighted female living composers, including the world premiere of art songs by acclaimed composer Lori Laitman; their 2026 season turns its focus to Black and Chinese composers. The ensemble has performed at venues including Curtis Theatre, Nixon Presidential Library & Museum, Carnegie Hall, and Neidorff-Karpati Hall at the Manhattan School of Music.
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For their 2026 New York City concert tour, themed Love, Earth, Death, Almost Quintet welcomes guest artist Dr. Xenia Deviatkina-Loh, violinist/violist and alumna of the University of California, Los Angeles, joining pianist Dr. Peiyao Yu and soprano Dr. Elaine Huang to present this program as a trio.
Founding Trioβ
Before the nonprofit, before the board, there were three of us — KU classmates, reunited in LA, who just wanted to play together again.
This is our founding trio and board members. This is where all the stories start.
πΉ Peiyao Yu | President
Described as “a firecracker at the console” by the American Guild of Organists, Dr. Peiyao Yu is recognized as one of the most versatile keyboard artists of her generation, demonstrating virtuosic command of piano, organ, and the rare carillon. She has appeared widely as a soloist and chamber musician, performing in major cities and festivals across the U.S., Europe, and China, including California, New York, Boston, Michigan, and beyond. Her accolades include a gold medal at the 2022 Charleston International Music Competition and special awards for Best Schumann and Best Prokofiev Performances at the 2021 International Music Competitions. She made her orchestral debut performing Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 at the Perugia Music Festival in Italy, and co-founded the "Almost Quintet" trio. Dr. Yu currently serves as Organist at St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church in Studio City and as Creative Advisor for the Asian Classical Music Initiative. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Kansas and remains committed to championing works by underrepresented living composers.
π€ Zhengyingyue Huang | Secretary
Dr. Zhengyingyue "Elaine" Huang is a Chinese soprano with an international performance and advocacy career. She has appeared at prestigious venues such as the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory, the San Miguel Bel Canto Institute in Mexico, and numerous American opera companies including Temple Opera Theater, KU Opera, Opera Italia, and Lyric Opera of Orange County. Her operatic roles span from Cio-Cio-san in Madama Butterfly and Suor Angelica to characters in La Bohème, Così fan tutte, and Die Zauberflöte. She has also given solo recitals in Shanghai, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and across China. A passionate advocate for representation in classical music, Dr. Huang founded the Asian Classical Music Initiative (ACMI) in 2021 to celebrate the work of Asian and AAAPI composers. ACMI has presented concerts and international conferences in New Jersey, Kansas, and Los Angeles. She has premiered new works by composers such as Ke-Chia Chen and Dong Kui, and appeared as a featured speaker at academic forums including IWMA and CMS. A laureate of the Russia International Vocal Competition and the London International Classical Music Competition, she also directs operas and engages in interdisciplinary music education. Dr. Huang holds degrees from East China Normal University, Temple University, and the University of Kansas, where she earned her Doctor of Musical Arts.
π» Xiaohui Yan | Treasurer
A violinist and violist based in California, Dr. Xiaohui Yan is currently pursuing her D.M.A. in Viola Performance at The University of Nevada, Reno, as the violist of Nightingale String Quartet. Dr. Xiaohui Yan, who has completed her D.M.A. in Violin Performance from the University of Kansas, enjoys a diverse career as a soloist, chamber musician, and teacher across the United States, China, and Europe. Passionate about teaching, Dr. Yan served as a violin and string pedagogy instructor at Missouri Western State University in 2023. In addition to her talent as a violinist and a violist, Dr.Yan is also a researcher in the field of Chinese music. Her extensive performance experience includes appearances with the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra, Reno Chamber Orchestra, Brevard Music Festival (as assistant concertmaster), the Sewanee Music Festival, the Kansas University Symphony Orchestra, the Sewanee Symphony, and the Sacramento Youth Symphony Chamber Music Workshop. Internationally she has participated in the 3rd Summer Concert “Let the Dream True” at Vienna, Austria,
Guest Artists & Collaborators
Three was where we started, not where we meant to stop. Every season since, a few more voices join it. New artists on stage, new hands doing work that happens off it too. This is a home for musicians who want to build something together, with no fixed number of seats at the table.
π» Xenia Deviatkina-Loh | 2026 Featured Guest Artist
“Superb playing and a moving interpretation” Limelight magazine.
Award winning violinist Dr. Xenia Deviatkina-Loh has performed as soloist and recitalist in various venues across Australia, New Zealand, the UK, the US, and China. She also frequently performs with major ensembles and concert series around LA. As of 2021, she is a member of ECHOI — MEC’s ensemble-in-residence. In 2019, Dr. Deviatkina-Loh released her debut album under SHEVA Contemporary. A dedicated pedagogue, she has partaken in tours spanning regional NSW in Australia, regional Washington State, and Los Angeles, giving masterclasses, lectures, and recitals. She has presented at AWMAT (Alliance of Women in Media Arts and Technology) and ACMI (Asian Classical Music Initiative), and was a fellow at the Lucerne Festival Academy, the Atlantic Music Festival, SICPP (Summer Institute for Contemporary Performance Practice), and NMFS (New Music for Strings). She is currently on staff at UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, and on faculty at Mount Saint Mary's University and San Bernardino Valley College. She was the president of ACMI’s 2024 International Conference, which was hosted by MSMU. Dr. Deviatkina-Loh received her Bachelors of Music Performance degree at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music; her Masters of Arts degree at the Royal Academy of Music, London; and her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at UCLA.
π» Jiyuan Yang | Collaborating Artist
Jiyuan Yang is an accomplished violinist, artistic program producer, and educator whose career bridges performance, leadership, and pedagogy. He has performed with the Wichita and Topeka Symphony Orchestras, as well as orchestras at Temple University, the University of Kansas, and Xinghai Conservatory, working under conductors including Kensho Watanabe. As a soloist and chamber musician, he has appeared at venues such as Swarthout Recital Hall and the Lied Center of Kansas, and participated in masterclasses with ensembles including the Takács and Dover Quartets.
Beyond the stage, Yang serves as a Violinist and Artistic Program Producer with the International Classical Music Alliance (ICMA) and collaborates in classical recording with Manus Label. He is also the San Francisco Regional Director and violin adjudicator for the Concert Star International Classical Music Competition, and joins Almost Quintet as a violinist beginning in November 2026.
An active educator across the U.S. and China, Yang holds degrees from Xinghai Conservatory of Music (BM) and Temple University (MM), and pursued doctoral studies in violin performance at the University of Kansas.
πΉ Yaqi Wang | Outreach Partner
Dr. Yaqi Wang is an internationally active pianist, educator, scholar, and arts leader whose career connects classical performance, research, and cross-cultural initiatives. She earned her Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Kansas, following graduate studies at The Hartt School, Temple University, and Tianjin Conservatory of Music.
As a performer and Steinway & Sons Educational Partner, Dr. Wang has appeared at prestigious venues and institutions including Carnegie Hall, Steinway & Sons, Columbia University, Cornell University, UCLA, and Pepperdine University. Her work spans solo and collaborative concerts, lecture recitals, and interdisciplinary programming.
An active scholar, Dr. Wang has presented research at conferences such as the MTNA National Conference and the American Matthay Association Festival, and serves as an Associate Editor of the Analytical Approaches to World Music (AAWM) Journal.
Dr. Wang is also the Founder and Executive Director of the Concert Star International Classical Music Competition, creating global platforms for emerging artists through masterclasses, forums, and annual International Finals at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall. Across all endeavors, she remains dedicated to artistic excellence, pedagogy, and international collaboration.
