The preeminent Chinese conductor with an established international reputation, Long Yu continues his 15th season tenure as Music Director of the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra in the 2016/2017 season. He also serves as Artistic Director of the Beijing Music Festival, Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the China Philharmonic Orchestra, Music Director of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Co-Director of the MISA Shanghai Summer Festival, and serves as the principal guest conductor of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra starting from 2015/16 season.

Long Yu debuted with the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra in 1993 and returned to conduct the Orchestra numerous times. In 2003, Long Yu became Music Director of the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra and undertook a major European and Egyptian tour with the Orchestra and cellist Mischa Maisky, giving concerts at Theatre des Champs-Elysees in Paris, Conservatoire de Luxembourg, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Cairo Opera House and Alexander Opera House. The Orchestra successfully accomplished the five–continent tour during Long Yu's first tenure from 2003 to 2007. Under his 14-year leadership, the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra has been regarded as one of China's most outstanding orchestras. Also in Guangzhou, he established the Canton International Summer Music Academy (CISMA) in 2005 and the Canton Asian Music Festival in 2010, and has been appointed their Artistic Director. These two international music events have garnered great acclaims, raising the orchestra's reputation even further.

Long Yu frequently conducts the world top-class orchestras. He has appeared with a prestigious list of leading orchestras and a lot of opera companies around the world, including the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Washington National Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, Bamberger Symphoniker, Hamburgische Staatsoper, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Rundfunk Sinfonie Orchester Leipzig, NDR Sinfonieorchester, Münchner Philharmoniker, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Tokyo Philharmonic and Singapore Symphony Orchestra. In 2008, for the first time in history, the China Philharmonic Orchestra performed under the baton of maestro Long Yu at the Vatican in the Paul VI Auditorium. The concert was attended by The Holy Father Pope Benedict XIV and marked a giant step in bringing eastern and western cultures closer together.

Long Yu's career has included both artistic and administrative appointments. In 1992, he was appointed Principal Conductor of the Central Opera Theatre in Beijing and involved in the planning of the Chinese New Year's Concert series later that year and served as its conductor for three consecutive years. He created opera productions for The Urban Council of Hong Kong for five successive years. In 1998, he led the creation of the Beijing Music Festival and has been its Artistic Director ever since. Under his leadership the Beijing Music Festival is regarded as one of the world's most important music festivals. In 2010, he also established the MISA Shanghai Summer Music Festival and serves as its Artistic Director.

Born in 1964 into a music family in Shanghai, Long Yu received his early musical education from his grandfather Ding Shande, a composer of great renown, and went on to study at the Shanghai Conservatory and the Hochschule der Kunst in Berlin. He was the recipient of the 2002 Arts Patronage Award of the Montblanc Cultural Foundation. He also has been awarded the Chevalier dans L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2003, the title of L'onorificenza di commendatore by President Berlusconi in 2005 for his outstanding contribution in the field of music and culture. In 2010, Long Yu received an Honorary Academician from the Central Conservatory of Beijing for his great dedication on cultural exchanging and music development in China. In December 2010, he was awarded People of the Year in Arts Field in China. In 2013, Long Yu was awarded the national level arts award China Arts Award. In December 2014, he was awarded France's highest honor of merit by receiving Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur from the France government. In 2015, Long Yu was awarded the honorable title "National Literature and Art Worker of Excellence". In the same year, he received the prestigious Global Citizen Award from the Atlantic Council and the Samuel Simons Sanford Award from Yale's School of Music in America. In April 2016, Long Yu was elected as Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. In June, he was just awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. Long Yu is currently Vice-president of Chinese Musicians Association, member of the 11th and 12th the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.