At 18 months of age, Conrad Tao began playing piano by ear after listening to his older sister's lessons. Born in Urbana, Illinois, in 1994, he emerged as a versatile musical talent who attained early recognition through his technical precision as a pianist, violinist, and composer, eventually expanding his career into curation and experimental recording projects.
Early Development and Training
Tao gave his first piano recital at age 4. By age 9, he moved with his family to New York City to study at the Juilliard School's Pre-College Division and the Professional Children's School. His formal education included piano instruction under Yoheved Kaplinsky and Choong Mo Kang, violin study with Catherine Cho, and composition mentorship under Christopher Theofanidis. He also attended the Aspen Music Festival and School for six summers between 2004 and 2009.
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Before reaching adulthood, Tao performed as a soloist with orchestras including the Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Detroit Symphony orchestras. In 2006, he won the Prokofiev Concerto Competition and the Juilliard Pre-College Gina Bachauer Piano Competition. He notably substituted for Fabio Bidini at the 2007 Festival del Sole to perform Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3. His mastery of both piano and violin repertoire led to appearances on the PBS series From the Top.
Compositional Output
Tao received eight consecutive ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Awards between 2004 and 2011. His early works include the piano piece Silhouettes and Shadows, which won the BMI Carlos Surinach Prize, and his first piano concerto, The Four Elements, premiered in 2007. Later, he earned commissions from institutions such as the New York Philharmonic, Dallas Symphony, and Hong Kong Philharmonic. He served as artist-in-residence for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra during the 2015/16 season.
Professional Expansion
Transitioning beyond classical performance, Tao released the synthpop album Eyelids and a solo piano EP titled The Juilliard Sessions: Conrad Tao Plays Debussy and Stravinsky in 2012. That same year, he received an Avery Fisher Career Grant and was recognized by Forbes in their 30 Under 30 list. In 2013, he produced the three-night UNPLAY Festival in New York City, demonstrating his focus on curating contemporary musical experiences.
Fast facts
- Born: 1994, Urbana, Illinois
- Education: Juilliard Pre-College, Professional Children's School, Columbia University
- Notable Honors: Avery Fisher Career Grant (2012), Gilmore Foundation Young Artist
- Composer Awards: Eight consecutive ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Awards
- Residencies: Dallas Symphony Orchestra (2015/16), Hong Kong Philharmonic (2017)
- Early Debut: First piano concerto debut at age 8
Questions readers ask
Did Conrad Tao perform more than one instrument as a child?
Yes, he was a trained violinist, pianist, and composer from a young age.
What major orchestras have commissioned his work?
His compositions have been commissioned by the New York Philharmonic, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic, and Pacific Symphony.
Achievements
- Composing original music from age four
- Avery Fisher Career Grant (2012)
- Gilmore Young Artist
- Premiered 'Everything Must Go' with the New York Philharmonic
