Congcong Chai

As a prize winner in 53rd Sorantin International Competition, Chai has participated in piano masterclasses and private lessons conducted by Leslie Howard, Paul Badura-Skoda, Malcolm Bilson,Yoheved Kaplinsky, Matti Raekallio andVladimir Krainev,to name just a few.He has performed in Lawrence,FortWorth,Grand Junction, Hong Kong, Macau, Shang Hai, Shenzhen, and Zhu Hai. His performances have included varied repertoire for solo piano, two pianos, and piano concertos. He enjoys an association with the conductors RobertWard andYondani Butt,collaborating in performances of Beethoven 4th Piano Concerto,the Yellow River Piano Concerto and GriegPiano Concerto in A minor.The festivals he attended in 2012 summer including PianoTexas International Academy & Festival and Concerto FestVienna.As a recipient of numerous scholarships, Chai has been awarded the Lee Shuk-chee Memorial Scholarship,The Society of APA Non-Local Scholarship,Tom Lee Music Scholarship, CE Scholarship, Baring Private Equity Asia Scholarship, HKAPA Piano Alumni Scholarship, Capps Rogers Scholarship and David & Gunda Hiebert Piano Scholarship. Born in Xian, China, Chai Congcong started learning piano with his mother at a young age. He studied at the DongFang XingZhi Piano School with Prof. Zheng Shu Xing, and ShenZhen Art School with Dan Zhao Yi and Miao Xiao Yan. After graduating from high school, he was admitted to the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts to study with Prof. Eleanor Wong for his Diploma, Bachelor, and Master degrees. As a Graduate Teaching Assistant of University of Kansas, he is currently in his second year of the DMA programme at KU with Dr. Jack Winerock.