Conrad Tao: The young pianist-composer redefining the modern American concert artist
A touring concert pianist and prolific composer as a child, Conrad Tao became one of the most versatile musicians of his generation.
Early Life and the Spark
Born in Urbana, Illinois, in 1994, Conrad Tao began studying piano and violin as a toddler and was composing music by age four. He performed as a concerto soloist while still a child and was recognized early for both his playing and his original compositions.
The Breakthrough
In 2012, at age 18, Tao received an Avery Fisher Career Grant and was named a Gilmore Young Artist, two of the most significant honors for emerging American pianists.
Major Contributions
Tao has premiered his own orchestral works — including 'Everything Must Go' with the New York Philharmonic — and built a reputation as a genre-crossing artist, collaborating with choreographers and earning a New York Dance and Performance ('Bessie') Award for music composition. He curates programs that juxtapose canonical repertoire with new and unexpected works.
Recognition and Honors
- Avery Fisher Career Grant (2012)
- Gilmore Young Artist
- New York Dance and Performance ('Bessie') Award
Legacy
Conrad Tao represents a new model of the prodigy: equally a performer, composer, and curator, expanding what a classical career can encompass in the 21st century.
Achievements
- Composing original music from age four
- Avery Fisher Career Grant (2012)
- Gilmore Young Artist
- Premiered 'Everything Must Go' with the New York Philharmonic
