About Me.

Born and raised in Yunnan, China, Mingyan (Sally) Yu is a rising conductor from a versatile background. Yu is currently enrolled in the post-graduate diploma program at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst (mdw) in Vienna, Austria, conducting the Pro Arte Orchestra. Yu once embarked on a promising career path as an integrated circuit designer in 5G industry after graduating from Cornell and Columbia University in U.S.A. with BS and MS degrees in Electrical Engineering. She then worked as a full-time Radio-Frequency Integrated Circuited designer and decided to turn her passion for classical music into lifelong career pursuit after taking conducting lessons with Prof. Charles Peltz at New England Conservatory and Dr. Mark Shapiro at the Juilliard School.
 
Yu completed her second master’s degree in conducting from New England Conservatory. She has attended conducting workshops and festivals worldwide with Maestros Nicolás Pasquet, Johannes Schlaefli, Jorma Panula, Martin Sieghart, Yannick Nezet-Seguin, Neil Varon, Jim Ross, James Lowe, Mark Gibson, among others. Yu is also a doctoral candidate in orchestral conducting at Michigan State University in USA under Octavio Más-Arocas. Yu was one of the twelve 2024 Carlos Miguel Prieto Conducting Fellows.
 
Yu has appeared in Asia, North America, and Europe, conducting the Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra, Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, Sofia Philharmonic, Stara Zagora State Opera Orchestra, Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra, Orquestra Filarmonia das Beiras, Orchestra del Teatro Cilea e del Coro, Myrtus Festival Orquesta, Spokane Symphony Orchestra, PRSIMA Festival Orchestra, and Denver Philharmonic, among others. Yu was one of the twelve participants at the prestigious 2nd Hiroshima International Conducting Competition, semifinalist of the 2025 Orchestra’s Conductor Competition in Romania, runner-up at the 2023 Denver International Conducting Competition, and recently won second prize at the Sixth Opera de Baugé Conducting Competition.​ She will be taking part in the 2026 Siemens - Hallé International Conducting Competition in Manchester, UK.

Yu is also a photographer and certified rescue diver.