Actively devoted to promoting classical music to a wider audience, Wanshu regularly performs as a soloist, chamber musician, and has appearance in renowed orchestras and music festivals.

Wanshu Qiu grew up in Chengdu, China, and began to play the viola at the age of 15. She gained her undergraduate degree at the Royal Northern College of Music with Susie Meszaros and Veit Hertenstein, She was then awarded full scholarship and bursaries from the Royal Academy of Music to continue her Master’s and Professional Diploma with Jon Thorne. She has been awarded Barbirolli Evelyn Rothwell Prize for outstanding studentship, and was greatly supported by British Council and Art Association of China for her study.

Wanshu has been invited to renowned festivals such as Encuentro de Música Santander, IMS Prussia Cove OCM, Lucerne Festival, Edinburgh International Festival, and Bowdoin Festival, where she served as a Viola Fellow. As a soloist, she has performed with Manson Ensemble, Carme Ensemble, and London Contemporary Soloists.

As an ensemble player, Wanshu has appeared in Nash Ensemble, Aurora Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra, Manchester Collective, the Hallé and BBC Philharmonic. She has led viola section under some world-class conductors such as Sir Simon Rattle, Sir Mark Elder, Semyon Bychkov, Elim Chan, Jamie Martin, and Ludovic Morlot. In recognition of her achievements, she's been interviewed by BBC Radio 3 in 2021 and UKVI in 2022 to share her musical inspiration.

As a passionate chamber musician, Wanshu is regular member of varies chamber ensembles. She has performed in chamber ensembles alongside some world renewed musicians such as James Ehnes, Jack Liebeck, Zakhar Bron, Aviv Quartet, to name a few.

Beyond working in the fields of classical music, Wanshu also participated in theater, jazz, and multimedia projects. Some highlights Include her performances in Manchester International Festival and Melbourne Arts Festival, London Jazz Festival, and recent performance with VOCES8. Wanshu has also worked in cross-media project collaboration with dancers, producers around the world.

In addition to her performing career, she also volunteers her time with various community outreach programs that promote music education and enrichment. She has held 2023/2024 Fellowship for Royal Academy of Music.   Wanshu plays on viola made by Peter Stefen Greiner & Mark Jennings, kind loaned by IMS prussia cove.