Praised as “nothing short of amazing,” Dr. Xin Yin (Amy) is recognized as an emerging voice in percussion performance and pedagogy. Hailing from Shenzhen, Guangdong, China, Xin has appeared at major events including the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC), Internacional de Percusión in Colombia, and the International Saxophone Symposium, where she has performed with her percussion and saxophone duo, Duo-Y. Her work as a performer, educator, and advocate for contemporary and cross-cultural percussion continues to connect diverse musical traditions and expand the possibilities of percussion performance.
Xin currently serves as Assistant Professor of Percussion at Western Carolina University, where she teaches percussion performance, directs the percussion ensemble, and coordinates the percussion program. In 2026, she received the Belcher College of Fine & Performing Arts Board of Governors Teaching Award in recognition of her contributions to student learning and teaching excellence. Before joining WCU, she served as an adjunct instructor at Mitchell Community College and Alamance Community College, as well as a graduate teaching assistant at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and the University of North Texas. At UNCG, Xin was nominated for the 2023 Outstanding Graduate Teaching Associate Award from the College of Visual and Performing Arts. Her teaching experience also includes co-directing the UNCG Percussion Ensemble for its PASIC 2021 showcase and serving as Interim Associate Director of the UNCG Percussion Studio in Spring 2022.
Committed to enriching communities through music education, Xin has taught at institutions and programs including East Forsyth High School, the UNC Greensboro Music Summer Camp, the Salvation Army Carolinas Music & Arts Conservatory, Ryan High School, and Baylor University Summer Music Camp. She has also presented clinics, masterclasses, and performances at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC 2024), NC PAS Day of Percussion 2025, the Midwestern Region Orchestra Clinic, the 64th Annual NCMEA Conference, and universities and music institutions throughout the United States and internationally. Through her teaching and outreach, Xin is dedicated to making percussion education accessible, engaging, and relevant to students and musicians from diverse backgrounds.
Xin’s performance career includes collaborations with esteemed ensembles such as the Beijing Ballet Orchestra, Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, Winston-Salem Symphony Orchestra, Greensboro Symphony Orchestra, Asheville Symphony Orchestra, Shenzhen Orchestra, and Las Colinas Symphony Orchestra. Her recent performance highlights include the timpani concerto Raise the Roof with the UNCG Wind Ensemble at the 33rd Carolina Band Festival. Her solo performances have received praise from leading composers, with Gene Koshinski describing her performance of Homage to KJ as “excellent” and Gordon B. Stout praising her playing as “truly wonderful.”
In 2022, Xin Yin co-founded Duo-Y, a dynamic percussion and saxophone duo based in North Carolina, with saxophonist Dr. Jia-Yu (Arden) Yang. Duo-Y explores the intersections of Eastern and Western musical traditions, with a particular focus on promoting diverse repertoire and works by Asian composers. Through collaborations with contemporary composers and innovative programming, the duo seeks to expand the repertoire for percussion and saxophone while showcasing the unique versatility of the pairing. Composer Marc Mellits praised their interpretation of Escape for Alto Sax and Marimba, describing it as “one of the finest interpretations of Escape I have encountered” and noting that their mastery of the final movement was “astonishing.” Duo-Y has performed at international and national events, including Internacional de Percusión in Colombia and the International Saxophone Symposium, and has been featured at the North Carolina Music Educators Association Conference. Their debut album, Yin & Yang, was released in April 2026 and received Silver Medals in both Contemporary Instrumental and Group/Duo/Trio from the Global Music Awards.
Xin’s development as a percussionist and educator has been shaped by the guidance of esteemed mentors, including Sam Solomon, Nancy Zeltsman, Doug Perkins, Keith Aleo, Todd Meehan, Ivan Trevino, Edward Taylor, Mark Ford, Christopher Deane, Ed Smith, Paul Rennick, José Aponte, Stockton Helbing, Eric Willie, and Peter Zlotnick. She earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Percussion Performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she was honored as a Minerva Scholar, the university’s highest recognition for doctoral students. Her studies and mentorship have played an important role in shaping her approach to performance, pedagogy, and scholarship.
A passionate traveler who has visited 14 countries, Xin also brings a global perspective to her work as a musician and educator. Her article, “These Crazy Musicians,” was published in the study-abroad advising book My U.S. Study Journal, by the University of Science and Technology of China Press. She is an elected member of the Percussive Arts Society Diversity Alliance and the PAS International Committee, where she contributes to the percussion community through advocacy, collaboration, and service. Xin is proudly endorsed by Vic Firth Sticks and Mallets and publishes her compositions and arrangements with C. Alan Publications.
