Born in China, Song Yalin first studied cello at the age of seven, and was admitted to the affiliated primary school of Shanghai Conservatory of Music when he was nine. After graduating from the Royal Academy of Music in London with a master's degree, he continued his musical journey at Southern Methodist University where he studied with Ko Iwasaki. His cello teachers also included Yu Mingqing, Mats Lidström, Hans Jørgen Jensen and Christopher Adkins.
Yalin has been recipient of numerous awards and prizes in China, England and the United States. He won Outstanding Performance at the 3rd China National Cello Competition, and first prizes at the May Mukle Cello Competition in London, the Concerto Competition at the Royal Academy of Music and the American Music Teacher Association Competition in Chicago. He received a British-China Trust Fund scholarship, and has also attended music festivals including the Tanglewood, the Music Academy of the West and the National Orchestra Institute.
Prior to joining the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Yalin has worked with the Memphis Symphony and the San Antonio Symphony orchestras as Principal Cello, and with the Fortworth Symphony Orchestra as cellist.
宋亞林於中國出生，七歲開始學習大提琴，九歲考入上海音樂學院附小。在英國倫敦皇家音樂學院取得音樂碩士學位後，前往南方衛理會大學隨岩崎洸繼續深造。除此之外，曾師承俞明青、李德思聰、捷成和阿德金斯。
宋氏於中國、英國和美國均獲獎無數，包括第三屆中國全國大提琴比賽的優秀演出大獎、英國倫敦大學皇家音樂學院舉辦的穆克爾大提琴比賽首獎、皇家音樂學院協奏曲比賽冠軍，以及芝加哥美國音樂教師協會比賽首獎等。此外，宋氏在學期間贏得不少獎學金，包括獲英國中國文化交流協會基金的獎學金入讀皇家音樂學院，並憑芝加哥市民交響樂團獎學金赴美國西北大學深造。他曾參與不同音樂節的演出，包括鄧肯活音樂節、西方音樂學院、國家管弦樂團學院的音樂節等。
在加入香港管弦樂團前，宋氏曾擔任美國孟菲斯交響樂團及聖安東尼奧交響樂團的首席大提琴，亦曾經是福特沃斯交響樂團樂師。