Lumen Duo
Our Story
Lumen Duo grew from a shared love of chamber music and a desire to bring people together through live performance. Founded by flutist Yana Yan and pianist Qiu Chen (Lilian), our duo explores the conversation between flute and piano: sometimes tender and lyrical, sometimes playful and full of energy.
Our individual musical journeys have taken us across the countries. Together, we bring those experiences into a collaboration shaped by listening, curiosity, and the joy of discovering music with one another. We are drawn to the colors and stories within each piece, and to the moments when two distinct musical voices find a shared expression.
We believe a concert should feel welcoming, whether you know every work on the program or are hearing chamber music for the first time. Through concert performances and community events, we hope to make space for connection, reflection, and a little unexpected delight.
The name Lumen evokes light. For us, it reflects what we hope to share: music that brightens a moment, sparks curiosity, and brings us closer together.
We look forward to sharing that experience with you.
WhoWe Are
Yana Yan
Flutist Yana Yan brings expressive artistry, vibrant energy, and a warm connection with audiences to the concert stage. Based in San Diego, she won the 2024 La Jolla Symphony Emerging Artist Competition and has performed throughout the United States and China as a soloist and chamber musician. Her performances celebrate the flute’s lyrical beauty and rich palette of colors, inviting listeners into music that is intimate, spirited, and full of discovery.
A passionate collaborator, she has been invited to perform at music events and conventions, sharing her love of chamber music with a wide range of audiences. Through her ensembles and community performances, she brings people together through music, creating welcoming experiences for longtime concertgoers and those discovering live classical music for the first time.
Yana’s commitment to connection also shapes her work as an educator. She has held faculty positions at Augustana College and Black Hawk College, working with students of all ages and backgrounds and helping them develop their own musical voices.
Qiu Chen (Lilian)
San Jose–based pianist Qiu Chen (Lilian) brings a lifelong devotion to music to her work as a soloist, collaborator, and artistic director. Beginning her piano studies at age five, she went on to win first prize at the International Young Artists Piano and Violin Competition in the United States. She was subsequently invited twice to perform at New York’s Carnegie Hall as a prizewinner.
Her musical career has taken her across the United States and internationally, with performances and artistic direction in Beijing, Shenzhen, Jiangxi, Boston, Miami, New York, and Vienna. As a co-founder of Lumen Duo, Lilian shares her passion for chamber music, inviting audiences to discover the expressive dialogue between flute and piano and the joy of live performance.