Yunlin Yang, professor of piano at the Music Middle School Affiliated to the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, graduated from the said Music Middle School. In 1986, she served as director of the Teaching and Research Section of the piano department at the Conservatory after receiving a master's degree in piano from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, while also giving frequent performances of piano concertos and as a member of chamber music ensembles.

In 1993, she received a second master's degree in piano from the University of British Columbia, Canada, and gave an interview and a piano solo recital at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).  In 2004, Yang returned upon invitation to the Shanghai Conservatory of Music to serve as professor of piano as well as executive vice chair of the piano department.  She gave lectures and performances in China and abroad and organized a variety of piano performance activities, including competitions of piano works by Chinese composers, piano competitions at the Music Middle School Affiliated to the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, setting up the Nationwide Training Course for Piano Teachers at the Music Middle School, and serving as jury at multiple piano competitions in China. Many of her taught or advised students have won prizes at major piano competitions in China as well as internationally.

In 2010 and 2012, Yang received the Award for Teaching Excellence in Music and Arts from the Municipal Government of Shanghai. She also obtained second prize from the He Luting Foundation twice in 2012, the Director’s Award of the Music Middle School Affiliated to the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and the Award from the He Luting Foundation in 2015, as well as the Distinguished Service Award from the Music Middle School Affiliated to the Shanghai Conservatory of Music in 2016, the Second Project Prize from the Music Middle School Affiliated to the Shanghai Conservatory of Music in 2017, and the Award from the He Luting Foundation and the Niu Ende Teaching Excellence Award from the Music Middle School in 2021.