PRESS
Here is some recent press acclaim for Conrad Tao. You can also view his press archive.
A Promising Star, Rising Above the Horizon
“That Mr. Tao, who gave his first recital at 4, is hugely gifted was evident from the outset. He opened with a cleanly articulated, fluid and fleet rendition of Bach’s “Italian” Concerto. He played the slow second movement with poise and feeling. His impressive technique allows him to navigate difficult works with ease; the finale of Beethoven’s “Moonlight” Sonata unfolded in an exciting blaze of notes…He brought lovely colors and poetic nuances to three works by Liszt: “Au bord d’une Source,” “Vallée d’Obermann” and the “Rigoletto” Paraphrase…”
- The New York Times (Mar. 2012)
Conrad Tao, 17, shows fully mature virtuosity in Rachmaninoff
“Although [Tao] is clearly a master of the keyboard, his playing was so smooth and fluent that the difficulty of the work was never at the forefront; nor was there ever a hint of the look-how-hard-this-is virtuosity that marks the playing of some young keyboard phenoms. He could be grand, as in the sweeping swirls of notes that open the last movement, and his technical ability was apparent throughout, as he easily handled the rapid chords, runs and other challenges of a concerto composed by one of history’s great virtuosos. But it was his playing of Rachmaninoff’s melodic passages that really distinguished this performance, as Tao’s natural musicality brought out the concerto’s smoky, Romantic quality.”
- The Classical Review (Jan. 2012)
Piano phenom, 17, makes a blazing debut with the DSO
“Whatever the age cut-off may be for child prodigies, 17-year-old pianist Conrad Tao has left that category somewhere back in his young past. To judge from his debut Saturday night with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Tao already owns a place among the world’s musical virtuosos. Prodigious he is indeed. To put it plainly, Tao blew the doors off Saint-Saens’ Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor with a performance that was no less seductive in its lyrical beauty than hair-raising in its technical brilliance.”
- The Detroit News (Jan. 2012)
Utah Symphony Catches a Rising Star: Pianist Conrad Tao
“Conrad Tao is for real. The 17-year-old American pianist, whose star has only grown brighter in the 15 months since he bowled over the Abravanel Hall crowd as a last-minute substitute for Horacio Gutiérrez in Rachmaninoff’s Paganini Rhapsody, showed that his return invitation was well-earned. His bravura performance of another crowd-pleasing warhorse, Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1, elicited a rowdy ovation from the near-sellout house on Friday.”
- Salt Lake Tribune (Jan. 2012)
17-year-old Pianist Amazes at Cliburn Concerts
“Tao isn’t yet old enough to enter the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, but in a very substantial program at Bass Performance Hall he demonstrated surer technical command and more probing musicianship than most of the competition’s oldest contestants. This is a major talent. Rarely has Beethoven’s Appassionata Sonata had a more gripping performance, by turns mysterious and defiant. The mere chords of the second-movement theme were balanced with exquisite sensitivity to harmonic implications.”
- Dallas Morning News (Sep. 2011)
Conrad Tao Dazzles Cliburn Audience
“he continually uncovered the energy and emotional underpinnings inherent in this music, reaching toward the timeless, universal qualities it contains…Beethoven’s Appassionata Sonata was equally breathtaking… [as was] his ability, through subtle give and take of tempo, to make these works of Rachmaninoff, Debussy, and even Stravinsky sing.”
– Dallas Magazine (Sep. 2011)
Sub in Cliburn Concert proves spectacular
“The often exuberant program was cleanly played and technically brilliant and imparted a sense of personality…”
- Star-Telegram (Sep. 2011)
George Gershwin, Aaron Copland and Conrad Tao Thrill at JSO Opening Concert
“17-year-old Conrad Tao was the brilliant pianist for George Gershwin’s (1898-1937) Concerto in F Major for Piano and Orchestra. Tao is seasoned beyond his years and he was immediately immersed in the music and in his responsibility to interpret Gershwin’s piece to the audience… If anyone could pull off the Gershwin-esque flair, it was Tao. The young soloist was, in a word, impressive.”
- Season Ticket (Sep. 2011)
Conrad Tao Plays Rachmaninoff with Carl St.Clair and the Pacific Symphony
“In a dashing account of Rachmaninoff’s ‘Rhapsody,’ his attacks were crisp, with rhythmically tricky high-velocity passages cleanly articulated. Throughout, there was a sense that Tao was having fun.”
- Los Angeles Times (June 2011)
A stunning Beethoven Ninth, flashy Shostakovich from the Dallas Symphony Orchestra
“Shostakovich’s mischievous Piano Concerto No. 1 got a performance by turns playful, flashy and hauntingly lovely. Fifteen-year-old pianist Conrad Tao had brilliance in spades, but also generous and sophisticated expression. Let’s hope he returns soon.”
- Dallas Morning News (May 2011)
