Violinist Tong Li enjoys a versatile career as an orchestral musician, chamber musician, educator, and arts professional. She is a first violinist with the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra and also performs with the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, Annapolis Symphony, New Orchestra of Washington, and the Northern Neck Orchestra. She has previously performed with the Virginia Symphony, Richmond Symphony, Syracuse Orchestra, and the National Symphony Orchestra.

Throughout her career, Tong has had the opportunity to collaborate with an array of distinguished artists, including Yo-Yo Ma, James Ehnes, Gil Shaham, Daniel Hope, Joshua Bell, Ani Kavafian, Vivi Vassileva, Itamar Zorman, Olga Kern, Stephen Waarts, William Hagen, Joyce Yang, Irina Muresanu, Chris Thile, and Ben Folds. In April 2026, she also performed for King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the British Ambassador’s Residence in Washington, D.C., as part of the garden party celebrating their historic visit to the United States.

Born in Qingdao, China, Tong began playing the violin at the age of five. After moving to Ohio at age ten, she continued her musical studies at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she became a winner of numerous concerto competitions throughout the Cleveland area. She went on to attend the Eastman School of Music, studying violin with Professor Renee Jolles. There, she earned a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics.

Tong received her Master of Music in Violin Performance from the University of Maryland, where she studied with Dr. James Stern and served as a chamber music assistant. During her time at UMD, she was also a recipient of the M-Cubator Career Grant, through which she curated a concert highlighting composers of Asian American heritage.

A passionate advocate for musical collaboration and continued artistic growth, Tong has participated in numerous summer music festivals and programs around the world. She was a fellow at Sarasota, Schleswig-Holstein, and Spoleto, and the National Orchestral Institute + Festival. She has also participated in the Aspen Music Festival, Taipei Music Academy and Festival, Maine Chamber Music Seminar, Brevard Music Festival, Detroit Symphony Orchestra Institute, and AIMS in Graz.

In addition to her performing career, Tong is the manager of PopCulture Strings, a group specializing in wedding and corporate performances throughout the DMV area, through Kushner Entertainment and the Washington Talent Agency. The ensemble has performed at a variety of high-profile events, including a Mexican Mother's Day celebration held at the residence of then-Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024.

Tong is passionate about bringing music into a wide variety of settings and connecting with audiences and musicians through performance, collaboration, and education.