Growing up as the daughter of two accomplished musicians in Beijing, China, Ning received piano lessons from her father, Professor Tian Liantao, and cello lessons from her mother, Professor Song Tao, at the Central Conservatory. She became one of the youngest cellists with the National Opera Company in 1978 after graduating from #35 high school in Beijing and won top ranking at the Central Conservatory's national audition in 1979. Later, she transferred to the Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, on a full scholarship to study with Professor Paul Katz and the Cleveland String Quartet. She holds Bachelor and Master degrees in cello performance as well as the Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in cello performance from Louisiana State University, studied with Professor Dennis Parker. Her awards include the Julia Klumpky Award, Camellia Symphony Orchestra Young Artists Competition, Beijing Young Artists Competition, as well as the Concerto Competitions at California State University, Sacramento, and Louisiana State University.

Dr. Tien was a member of the faculty at Hastings College, NE; Columbus State University, GA; and Kean University, NJ . She was co-principal cellist with the Hastings Symphony Orchestra, and served five years as the director of the Greater Columbus Youth String Orchestra. She founded and directed CELLOS OLE and the University Cello Choir in Columbus, GA, and was on the faculty of the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, MI, for three summers. She served three times as adjudicator for the New Jersey MTNA National Solo Competition. In 2002, she was nominated and included in Who's Who Among America's Teachers.

Dr. Tien’s students have won top prizes at regional, state, national and international competitions, including “Grand Prize Virtuoso” International Music Competition, Rome; Crescendo International Competition USA (perfect score); ASTA National Solo Competition; National Invitational Band and Orchestra Festival at Carnegie Hall; National Youth Orchestra (associate principal cellist) and National Youth Orchestra 2 (principal cellist); Bay State Strings Contest, Music Worcester Young Artist Competitions, Junior and Senior Divisions of three districts in MA; All State Honors Orchestras in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Georgia. The Columbus State University Cello Choir, directed by Dr. Tien was chosen as one of the six chamber ensembles to perform at the 2002 GMEA in Service Conference, Georgia. Three of her cello students have been accepted as members of the MMEA All State Festival Orchestra and performed at Symphony Hall in Boston on March 3rd, 2019.

An active performer and promoter of contemporary music, Dr. Tien premiered and recorded works written for her: Cello Concerto by Dinos Constandinides (Recording, Vestige Label), Capriccio Himalaya by Tian Liantao and Song Tao with its world premiere as a featured speaker at the World Cello Congress III, Baltimore, 2000; Twelve Animal Zodiacs, Theme and Variations of Mongolian Folk Songs by Siren Nadamide, and Sonata No. 2 for Cello and Piano by John Sichel. In 2003, In 2008, she presented “Contemporary Music by Tibetan and Chinese Composers” to the National Endowment of Humanities Summer Institute at Holy Cross College. In 2009, Dr. Tien was invited to perform at the 31st Bali Arts Festival in a world premiere of “Mimpi”, a gamelan opera. The Jakarta Post wrote:”Another exceptional contribution to the performance was made by Ning Tien, whose cello filled air with tones of exquisite melancholy.” In 2010, Dr. Tien was invited to perform at the Forum on the Development of Chinese Ethnic Music, Beijing, China. She is the founding member of the New England Piano Trio, Omaggio Duo, and Forte Duo. In 2015, Omaggio Duo was invited by the Central Conservatory of China to give master classes and three concerts at the Conservatory, Remin University and Minzu University, and in 2016, the Omaggio Duo toured Brazil with a program titled “Music from Three Continents”. The Omaggio Duo's two CDs "Music From Three Continents" and "Himalaya Rhapsody" are released in 2015. In 2017, Ning formed The Forte Duo with pianist Roy Imperio and recorded a double compact CDs "Music From Four Continents". It is downloadable at www.cdbaby.com.

Currently Dr. Tien teaches cello at Fitchburg State University, Joy of Music Program, Wachusett High School and Groton Hill Music Center. She married Professor Leonard van der Kuijp of Harvard University in 2003 and lives in Littleton, MA, together Ning and Leonard share two sons, one daughter, one son in-law and one daughter in-law: Katrien and Aaron Mattis, Jan and Ashley van der Kuijp and Andrew Scialla.