Everything is naturally and enviably proportioned (a rare but necessary attribute in the everelusive Chopin)‚ everything fuelled alike by a style and poise way beyond his teenage years […]”[18] Yundi made his Carnegie Hall debut to great acclaim in June 2003, performing in a concert celebrating the 150th Anniversary of Steinway & Sons.

Bernard Holland of The New York Times wrote that: "Yundi Li, a young but seasoned competition gladiator, played Chopin and Liszt with a promising mix of elegance and impetuosity.

[21] Deutsche Grammophon released Yundi's second recording, of Liszt, in August 2003, which was named among the "Best Classical CD's of the Year" by The New York Times.

[23][24] Of this recording, Harris Goldsmith of Musical America wrote that it "[...] includes perhaps the finest account of the B-minor Sonata I have ever heard— [it] is, if anything, light years ahead in patrician elegance: exquisite artistry from one of the greatest talents to surface in years—nay, decades.

[27] Yundi completed his North American debut recital tour in April 2004 which included sold-out performances in Boston, Vancouver, San Francisco and New York.

[28] He made his New York recital debut at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on April 24, 2004, performing Chopin scherzos and the Liszt sonata among other pieces.

Reviewing this recital, Allan Kozinn of the New York Times wrote: "Mr. Li deals in a more poetic, deeply considered pianism, delivered without extraneous gestures and body language.

[31][32] He obtained Hong Kong residency in November 2006 and was among the first group of successful applicants under the recently announced Quality Migrant Admission Scheme.

2 and Ravel's Piano Concerto in G Major, which garnered positive reviews; it was named Editor’s Choice by Gramophone magazine,[15] and praised by The New York Times as one of the best classical CDs of the year.

This documentary "captures the poetic intensity of this young virtuoso as he works with the great Maestro Seiji Ozawa to prepare for his debut with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra"[36] In 2008, he became the first Chinese pianist to have a wax sculpture by Madame Tussauds.

[47] In response to questions from the media and the public, Yundi remarked that it was not degrading for him to perform in second and third-tier cities and he didn't mind the less ideal conditions of some concert halls; he simply wanted to provide more people with an opportunity to appreciate the beauty of classical music.

[49] In July 2015 and as featured guest soloist, Yundi embarked on a nine-concert tour with the National Youth Orchestra of the United States led by conductor Charles Dutoit.

[53] Critics stated the overall performance as “The famed Chinese pianist's slip up steals the show, but his Chopin is still stellar”, commented the mistake as “that’s the nature of live music, and perfection is boring” and considered the remedy “[…]But it gave me even greater admiration, on many levels, for everyone involved[…]In the temple to the arts, I was witnessing a moment of pure civility, decency and camaraderie, and was given a reminder that the gods are, in fact, human, and all the more heroic for that.”[52] In 2016, Yundi went on a Chopin world tour, which includes Germany, Russia and the United States.

Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim of the New York Times commented "[…]he showed off a graduated array of colors and moods, including moments of understated simplicity and tenderness light-years removed from his high-decibel image.[…]".

[56] From August 29 to September 5 in 2017, Yundi led the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra on a five-city concert tour in China, performing Chopin's Piano Concerto No.

[59] On November 3, Yundi performed at a live concert at Beijing National Aquatics Center celebrating the 2017 League of Legends World Championship.

[78][79] The album “Mozart: The Sonata Project - Salzburg” has received rave reviews from famed music authors Bryce Morrison and Norman Lebrecht, to name a few.

Morrison writes: “His approach is a convincing challenge to a more conventional restraint, a restless Sturm und Drang precursor of Romanticism.” [80] And Lebrecht applauded the album: “This is the most refreshing and innovative Mozart pianism I have heard in years.” [81] In January 2025, Yundi continued his Japan tour with four concerts added in response to the audiences’ warm reception of his performance in the country between September and October 2024.

[77][82] In the same month, he embarked on a United States and Canada tour, performing in Vancouver, Toronto, New York and San Francisco,[83][84] while the projected concert in Los Angeles was postponed due to the wildfire.

He expressed that on the day of the performance, New York experienced heavy snowfall, yet many music fans travelled by train and plane to attend the concert, which filled him with immense warmth.

"[101] and "Every passage is woven so smoothly and naturally that not even a grain of sound is felt, and this, combined with Chopin's pale romanticism, heightens the listener's sense of immersion.

[22] His versions are believed to have "a smooth playing, with its flowing, impassioned rhythms, and full, rich tone, is a complete and dynamic interpretation of the score, without loss of style or form".

[95] Jed Distler of Gramophone reviewed Yundi's ‘Moonlight’ Sonata "There’s more swing and edge to the Allegretto than I gave him credit for, while the unflappable security behind the finale’s sheen and sparkle does not preclude nervous energy.

"[104] Yundi's interpretations of Schumann are "tempered by good taste and that rare ability to hit upon just the right tempos" and "brought a wider range of dynamics and dramatic characterization to the music".

[106][107][108] In October 2000, selected by the Ministry of Culture of the People's Republic of China to represent the country, Yundi participated in the XIV International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw.

He has also made five contributions to compilation albums with Deutsche Grammophon not under his name and featured in three video items, his 2005 and 2010 concert, as well as his documentary The Young Romantic: A Portrait of Yundi.

For example, in French composer Ravel's classic piece Jeux d'eau, the last line is just like the disappearance of champagne bubbles.” Yundi enjoys cuisine across the globe, as he believes that music styles of places can be found from food.

Funds raised at the concert were donated to helping rebuild schools in Wenchuan County and providing mental healing services for children affected by the earthquake.

[137][138] On 21 October 2021, after a tip-off by public informants referred to as the Chaoyang masses,[139] Yundi was detained by Beijing police for allegedly hiring a prostitute.

[142] On 16 March 2022, the United States Department of Justice released a document[143][144] that includes a detail suggesting "the derogatory information regarding the Pianist may have been manufactured".