Yi Ding, a young pianist and educator in the United States, was born in Haikou, Hainan Province, China, in October 1995. Born into a musical family, he attended primary and high school at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, where he studied under professors Li Minduo, Yang Yunling, and Zhang Qi. His other performance diplomas in piano include a master's degree from The Juilliard School and a bachelor's degree from the New England Conservatory of Music.

Yi is known for reimagining classical repertoires in a modern context and collaborating extensively with visual artists and dancers. His recent activity includes presenting a collaboration concert, 'Zen' with visual artists from the Chicago Institute of Art at Artem Gallery, where works by Tchaikovsky and Scriabin were paired with short films, paintings, and photos by the visual artists. Yi's coming-up projects include the 'Music in Movements' concert series featuring all dance music by classical composers accompanied by dancers on stage. Ding Yi's crossover projects attracted the attention of the Chinese Embassy in the US. During 2020-23, he was invited to represent Chinese artists in the US to record festival celebration recordings for the Chinese embassy in Chicago and broadcast across the US.

In addition to presenting crossover collaborations with different artists, Yi has followed the footsteps of world-renowned pianists and performed extensively across America, Europe, and Asia. Since 2014, he has appeared at the Lincoln Center, Boston Jordan Hall, Galvin Recital Hall, Shanghai Oriental Arts Center, Vienna Erhbar Saal, and Århus Musikhaust.

As a piano educator, Yi has actively participated in various music festivals. His recent activity includes serving as a faculty member at the Harbin International Piano Week alongside top artists from Chinese conservatories, including Dan Zhaoyi, Sheng Yuan, Yuan Jie, and Tang Zhe. In addition to being active in teaching, Yi has been invited to join the National Teachers Association (MTNA) in 2020, has visited many cities in the United States, and has participated in performance and adjunction. His recent activities include being invited to judge the 2023 AIM Youth Piano Competition in Chicago and presenting two solo recitals at San Jose State University on behalf of the Teachers Association in the same year.

In addition to his rich teaching and performing experiences, he is praised by the famous American pianist Bruce Brubaker as a pianist who "combines sophisticated skills and musical sensitivity." He has made remarkable achievements in international music competitions. His honors include the Special Performance Award at the 2023 'International Piano Masters Competition' in Vienna, Second Prize at the 2021 'Thaviu Issac International Piano Competition'; First Prize at the 2020 'Future Star Piano Competition' and Best Talent Award at the 'Schumann International Piano Competition' in Zwickau, Germany.

Since 2020, Yi has entered the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University to pursue a doctorate in piano performance and studied with piano performance and educator James Giles. His past mentors include Jerome Lowenthal, Victor Rosenbaum, and Professor Gabriel Kwok.