Quick Facts
Biography
Amanda Yiyen, (born Amanda Wu 吳苡嫣; December 23, 1982) is a Taiwanese jazz/classical pianist, singer-songwriter, arranger, fashion blogger, and inspirational speaker. Yiyen is the first and only Taiwanese musician to be selected by Cirque Du Soleil. At 28 years old, she was invited by former TED curator and current congressman Jason Hsu to perform at TED x Taipei and speak on The Power of Journey. Yiyen is well known for creating eclectic, Jazzy-pop style of music with deep classical influence.
Early life
Born in Taichung City, Yiyen grew up in Taiwan and studied classical piano and oboe at the top music schools. Amanda Yiyen initiated her music career young when she enrolled in the prestigious music elementary school, Gung Fu. Since she was 8 years old, Yiyen has achieved countless awards in piano, oboe, singing, composition and speech. In 1991, 1992, and 1995, Yiyen was chosen to be the representative of Taiwan to perform her composition at the Asia Oceanic Junior Original Concert (AOJOC).
By the time Yiyen reached the age of 15, she was accepted with the highest scores into the Tainan National University of the Arts. That summer, she played the oboe and toured with the Taiwan Youth Orchestra throughout France, Austria, Hungary and Romania.
At the age of 20, Yiyen attended McGill University in Montreal, Canada, and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Music, with a concentration on Jazz Piano in 2006. Yiyen has traveled and performed all over the world and has resided in a few major cities, including New York City, Milan, Montreal, and Taipei.
Musical career
During her career, Yiyen was invited by National Symphony Orchestra as the pianist and keyboardist to perform with celebrity musicians, including Italian vocalist Andrea Bocelli, Hollywood soundtrack composer George Fenton, Japanese animation soundtrack composer Joe Hisaishi, DJ/Author Shiuan Liu, and singer-songwriter Joanna Wang.
In 2011, when Yiyen was 28, she arranged the album, The Adventures of Bernie the Schoolboy, for singer-songwriter Joanna Wang. She later toured with Wang throughout China.
She has released 1 album and 2 EPs, including Jazz without Time Zones (2010), original series The Journey On Earth, Vol.1: Unknown (2014), and Vol.2: Stories of Time (2017).
Transitional career
At 30 years old, she moved to New York City and obtained Alien with Extraordinary Ability Visa, also known as a genius visa.
Yiyen became influenced by the vibrant city, developing an appreciation for fashion and business. She collaborated with mixing engineer Paul Wickliffe to produce her original EP, The Journey on Earth, Vol 1: Unknown.
Shortly after, she was chosen by Cirque Du Soleil for a second time as an oboist and backup vocalist. She also travelled to Europe to collaborate with the producer of the famous German band, Jazzanova.
At 34 years old, Amanda Yiyen expanded her brand name beyond her music career. She is currently residing in New York City as a creative entrepreneur, fashion influencer, and spiritual mentor through her blog: AmandaYiyen.com. This project highlights 4 main aspects of her life: Music, Fashion, Creative Idea, and Journey.