出生於瑞士伯恩，父母是台南人。他曾受教於瑞士蘇黎世著名交響樂團的大提琴首席Claude Starck，以及及德國柏林愛樂大提琴首席Wolfgang Boettcher。從1989年起擔任德國巴伐利亞廣播交響樂團首席大提琴，直至2005年轉任慕尼黑音樂院為止。1991年榮獲瑞士日內瓦國際音樂大賽大提琴組首獎，自此揚名國際樂壇。

楊文信對未知充滿熱情、孜孜不倦研究精進，蔚為當今樂壇的大提琴巨匠。在他獨具一格、謙沖穩健的音樂會中，不僅復甦了十九世紀大提琴炫技名家的音樂，使阿德里安‧佛朗索華‧謝偉與卡爾‧尤里耶維契‧達維朵夫等人的作品重現於世，也讓他的聽眾們得以親近阿里貝特 ‧萊曼和尹伊桑這些現代作曲家。

身為國際知名獨奏家，楊文信曾與諸多指揮合作過，包括柯林‧戴維斯爵士、洛林‧馬捷爾、馬里斯‧楊頌斯、呂紹嘉、傑郭許‧挪華克、丹尼爾‧克萊納、佐渡裕和米歇爾‧霍夫斯泰特；也與許多樂團合作，如：巴伐利亞廣播交響、上海交響樂團、東京NHK交響樂團、英國皇家愛以及莫斯科的俄羅斯國家管弦樂團；除了獨奏家活動之外，楊文信也是炙手可熱的室內絃樂團合作搭檔。他極度敏銳的樂感、高超技巧，以及強烈的表現力使得他的演奏臻至成熟，並持續不斷拓展出聆聽的新視野。

自2004年以來，楊文信一直在慕尼黑音樂院擔任大提琴教授，並經常舉辦國際大師班課程。在 2016/17樂季，他受邀擔任NSO國家交響樂團駐團藝術家。楊文信的曲目豐富而廣泛，可見於他所錄製的30多張CD中。這些專輯不僅包括鮑凱里尼、海頓、貝多芬、舒伯特、聖桑、拉羅、柴可夫斯基和德弗札克等作曲家的大提琴基本重要曲目，還有亨利‧魏歐當、法蘭克‧馬汀、雷歐尼德‧薩巴涅夫和蘇菲亞‧古拜杜麗娜的作品。其中，許多曲目還是該作品的首次錄音。

2005年，楊文信與巴伐利亞電視台合作錄製了巴赫六首無伴奏大提琴組曲。這張由Arthaus Arthaus所發行的DVD，獲得了樂評們的高度讚賞，認為該錄音雖以現代樂器重新演奏，確仍然具有古樂演奏實踐的深刻歷史覺察，是現代琴版本的有力詮釋。【Alma Brasileira】這張CD收錄了巴西作曲家拉達美斯‧拿太理的室內樂作品，於2015年榮獲拉丁葛萊美獎的最佳古典樂專輯。

Enthusiasm for the unknown and constant research distinguishes Wen-Sinn Yang as one of the most versatile cellists of the present day. His performances not only revive the music of nineteenth-century cello virtuosos such as Adrien François Servais and Karl Yulievich Davydov, but also introduce his audiences to such modern composers as Aribert Reimann and Isang Yun.

Alongside his activities as an internationally renowned soloist under conductors including Sir Colin Davis, Lorin Maazel, Mariss Jansons, Shiao-Chia Lü, Grzegorz Nowak, Daniel Klajner, Yukata Sado and Michael Hofstetter and with such orchestras as the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra the Shanghai Symphony, the NHK Tokyo, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Russian State Orchestra of Moscow, Wen-Sinn Yang is also a highly sought-after chamber music partner. His mastery and technical skill is not only strongly expressive but also particularly sensitive, which continues to open up ever-new listening perspectives.

Wen-Sinn Yang's wide-ranging repertoire is documented on more than 30 CDs. These include not only the principal works for violoncello by Boccherini, Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, Saint-Saens, Lalo, Tchaikovsky and Dvořák, but also compositions by Henri Vieuxtemps, Frank Martin, Leonid Sabaneev and Sofia Gubaidulina. Many of these are distinguished as premiere recordings.

Yang, in cooperation with Bavarian Television, recorded the six solo suites of J.S. Bach in 2005. This DVD, released by Arthaus, was praised by critics for its profound awareness of historically informed interpretation performed on modern instruments.

Yang has been Professor of Violoncello at the Academy of Music and Theater in Munich since 2004 and also regularly conducts international master courses.