Bella Lei, piano

Meet Bella

Bella performs on Show 483.

Bella Lei (piano), 11, from Astoria, New York, began her piano studies with her mother and now studies intensively with Dr. June Xiao at Mannes Prep. Praised by the great Sergei Babayan for playing “with so many colors and so intelligently already,” Bella is the 2025–2026 Simms/Mann Fellow at the Aspen Music Festival and School, where she is the youngest musician in the fellowship program.

She has won top prizes at the Macau Invitation International Piano Competition, Chopin International Youth Piano Competition, Ocean Music Festival, and Apex International Piano Competition, where the jury described her artistry as “a rare, golden-age style—nothing safe or artificial, just beautifully creative music making.”

Bella has already presented a full solo recital in New York and continues to expand her repertoire at Mannes Prep. Outside of music, she enjoys reading, playing sports, and spending time with her younger siblings.