CAI Lei, a violist, is currently serving as Lecturer at the School of Music, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen. He was born in Heilongjiang, China. He was admitted with first-place honors to both the Middle School Affiliated to the Central Conservatory of Music and the Central Conservatory of Music, where he received Academic Excellence Scholarships. He studied under Professor Wang Changhai, a distinguished viola professor and doctoral supervisor at the Central Conservatory of Music. After graduation, CAI Lei joined the China Philharmonic Orchestra, the Macao Orchestra, and later served at The Yehudi Menuhin School Qingdao.

He is also passionate about chamber music. He earned the highest distinction in chamber music at the Central Conservatory of Music and has presented numerous chamber-music recitals and tours at home and abroad. He was invited to record the Clarinet Quintets by Weber and Mozart and gave the world premiere of Carl Orff's String Quartet. His playing has received high praise from many prominent musicians, including Seiji Ozawa, Lin Yaoji, the Tokyo String Quartet, the Australian String Quartet, the Beaux Arts Trio, Joseph Silverstein, Lu Jia, and Lu Siqing.

CAI Lei is committed to music education. His students have repeatedly won prizes in national and international competitions—for example, the Gold Medal, Best Technique Award, and Best Sonata Award in the Vivaldi International Youth Music Competition, and First Prize in the viola division at the inaugural China Wieniawski International Youth String Competition. He himself has received multiple "Outstanding Teacher" awards. In recent years, his students were successfully admitted to top conservatories such as the Hanns Eisler School of Music Berlin, Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media, The Juilliard School, and New England Conservatory, many with substantial scholarships.