Back

From Harbin to the World- A conversation with Suli Xue

Artists
Federation

Tracing a journey of culture, legacy, and music

Suli Xue is a distinguished violinist and cultural ambassador, celebrated for bridging Eastern and Western musical traditions. Born in Harbin, he studied under the legendary pedagogue Alice Schoenfeld at the University of Southern California. As a former member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Xue’s career spans solo, chamber, and orchestral performances across North America, Europe, and Asia. Committed to music education, he serves as President of the Schoenfeld Society and founded the Schoenfeld International String Competition in Harbin to promote global artistic exchange. Honored as a “Harbin Cultural Ambassador,” Xue champions his hometown’s heritage while shaping classical music’s future. He splits his time between Los Angeles and Harbin, driven by a mission to connect cultures through music.

WFIMC: Harbin is your Hometown. What do you love about this city? Can you share some sights or places that are especially worth visiting in your eyes?

Suli Xue: Harbin, my beloved hometown, is a city full of unique charm. Recognized by the United Nations as a “Music City,” Harbin features a magnificent balance of cityscape, nature, and history that inspires and uplifts culture and artistry.
As the capital city of the HeiLongJiang province in Northeast China, Harbin was the earliest city in China to come in contact with European Classical music. Harbin became the birthplace of the Western Symphony Orchestra, music school, and ballet company, and even hosted the first cinema in the country.

The city features diverse architectural styles, integrating Baroque, Renaissance, eclecticism, and other styles. Central Street is the most representative street in Harbin and is known as the "Museum of Architectural Art". Saint Sophia Cathedral is one of Harbin's landmark buildings, with a strong Byzantine style. The "bread" stone pavement and European-style buildings on Central Avenue, and the balcony music of Madiel, harmonizes the blend of traditional Chinese architecture with Western influences.

Through all the seasons, visitors can enjoy the Harbin Ice and Snow World, a kingdom of ice and snow. The park features larger-than-life ice slides and sculptures illuminated by colorful beams, preserved outdoors in the winter and indoors during the summer. The sunset by the Songhua River, the bells of St. Sophia Cathedral, and the colorful Baroque buildings of the Baroque Historical and cultural block of Old Daowai District all paint a vivid historical memory of this city.
The city’s food culture is another significant reflection of its diverse heritage. A mix of Chinese and Russian-style foods such as red sausage and “leba” are becoming popular among tourists. The hearty Northeastern specialties, like tangy pot-fried pork, Demoli stewed fish, and braised meat, are local delights that can't be missed. As you savor the unique flavors of this city, you are once again reminded of the cultural blend that makes Harbin so special.

In every corner of this city, from the ice sculptures to the vibrant food stalls and the historical landmarks, Harbin tells a story of convergence—where East meets West, nature meets art, and history embraces the future.

Historical Harbin

Today, Harbin is a major tourist destination in China. That has not always been the case- how has the city changed in the last decades? Do you have some childhood memories you can share?

Historically, Harbin remained a hidden gem. The city was harder to access due to its distance from Beijing and Shanghai. However, modern technology has fueled cultural exchange, enabling the transfer of art and music nationally and internationally. Harbin has emerged as one of China’s most sought-after destinations. In fact, since 2024, it has been consistently ranked as one of the hottest cities for tourism.

Harbin recently hosted the Asian Winter Games for the second time in 2025, becoming a "double Asian Games Winter City". The Asian Winter Games have brought a surge in international tourists, and the rise of Harbin's ice and snow economy has demonstrated the unique path of development of cold-region cities. In the 1980s, there were trams running on the streets of Harbin. 

Suli

Suli Xue at the monument of the Schoenfeld Sisters, in front of Harbin Concert Hall

Looking back, Harbin has undergone a remarkable transformation. I still remember the trams that once ran through the city in the 1980s and the timeless beauty of Saint Sophia Cathedral, a landmark that has remained a defining part of Harbin’s cultural identity. Today, the city’s artistic landscape continues to evolve with the addition of Harbin Concert Hall, Harbin Grand Theater, and the Harbin Conservatory of Music—each an architectural masterpiece reflecting Harbin’s artistic spirit as a “Music City.” The Schoenfeld Sisters Statue in front of Harbin Concert Hall stands as a powerful symbol of Sino-American musical exchange, embodying the city’s deep-rooted commitment to culture and the arts.

From your point of view, what is the meaning and importance of the WFIMC General Assembly coming to Harbin (and not to Beijing or Shanghai)? What does the city expect from the conference?

The WFIMC General Assembly chose Harbin as the city to host the 2025 conference after 69 years. This decision gives the city the greatest assurance and highest honor to continue its leading role in music and cultural exchanges, while preserving the value of a popular tourist destination. It will also bring great recognition and support to the Schoenfeld International String Competition and Harbin’s music and cultural achievement.

The global exposure of this annual meeting will strengthen the international influence of Harbin as the “Music City.” For Harbin, this meeting is not just a short-lived cultural feast, but a fulcrum for the leap of urban music culture.

Harbin will take this opportunity to welcome the WFIMC members and share the city’s culture with the world.

Suli Xue at the Harbin Grand Theatre

You now live both in Los Angeles and in Harbin, having retired from the Los Angeles Philharmonic. What are the biggest differences between the two cities? Compared to LA, what is the lifestyle like in Harbin?

Los Angeles and Harbin, while contrasting in many ways, each offer their own distinct strengths. 
On one hand, Los Angeles is bathed in sunshine and surrounded by the waves of California. It is a place where I have been able to learn, absorb, and immerse myself in Western art and culture. The city’s spacious, peaceful environment provides an ideal place for personal reflection and recharging. 
On the other hand, my hometown Harbin provides a place of energy, innovation, and excitement. The stunning, frozen Songhua River stretches for thousands of miles and winter temperatures, and streets are bustling with a mixture of historical and modern architecture. Harbin exerts a unique energy and excitement, especially with its rich history and the ever-evolving innovations. 
Both cities, in their own way, have shaped my journey, providing personal growth. As I enter retirement, I am excited to bring my learnings back home and continue to share my perspectives as a bridge builder.

Harbin Ice and Snow World

The Schoenfeld Competition is based in Harbin, but it also has also a supporting organisation in the United States- the Schoenfeld Society. Please tell us a little bit about how the two organisations go together.

The Schoenfeld Society hosts a number of initiatives, and the Competition is one of our major projects. In addition to the competition, we also host educational enrichment opportunities, including masterclasses, concerts, and youth engagement activities. The mission is to celebrate and promote classical music education and culture exchange.

Alice Schoenfeld established this non profit organization and appointed me as the president and the chair of the board. She wished to settle the competition in my hometown Harbin. She believed there are so many young talents here and they deserved to have more opportunities to be recognized. At the same time, bringing more of these talents will benefit the students and community for the  great honor and motivation to let the young musicians to blossom here one competition after another.

Overall, our vision is that the Schoenfeld International String Competition serves as a cultural bridge across the Pacific. The Harbin office is largely responsible for the planning and implementation of the competition. The American headquarters supervises the operation, and invites international judges and overseas publicity. The early mornings in Los Angeles and the dusk of Harbin overlap, as our teams meet online for the preparation of the competition.  

The Schoenfeld Competition preserves the memory of Alice and Eleonore Schoenfeld and their legacy. As a student of Alice Schoenfeld, what importance did she have for you and what relevance does the sister´s teaching have today?

Professor Schoenfeld has shaped my musical bloodline as an artist and given me the mission of becoming a cultural ambassador. In 2014, I introduced the Schoenfeld International String Competition to Harbin, and established the "Harbin Schoenfeld Children's Arts Society" in 2024. These efforts are embodiments of Professor Schoenfeld's educational philosophy of "spreading love to the world.”

The Schoenfeld sisters were my sole professors upon coming to the US. Their knowledge in music, their generosity as citizens of the world, and their endless love and pursuit for music deeply inspired me. Any success I experience in my career today stems from the encouragement, patience, and kindness the Schoenfeld sisters showed me.

Alice's professor, Karl Klingler, was the student of Joseph Joachim. Joachim’s distinctive style has been passed on through generations, and I am very proud to continue this legacy. The two sisters dedicated their whole lives to performing arts and music education. My mission is to continue passing their beliefs and spirit, to inspire young musicians and preserve their principles of embracing global love for music and art education.

©WFIMC 2025
Images ©WFIMC ©Suli Xue

Suli Xue and Alice Schoenfeld, his mentor