Chris Yao

Christopher Yao is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in piano performance at the Eastman School of Music and studies with Dr. Marina Lomazov. He has won top prizes at the 2020 Celia Mendez Young Pianists Beethoven Competition, United States International Music Competition, and the Silvia M. Ghiglieri Piano Competition, and was a semi-finalist in the 2020 West Virginia International Piano Competition. Previous summer engagements include Eastern Music Festival, Music@Menlo, and Bowdoin Music Festival. Chris is an avid chamber musician and has been selected twice to perform in Eastman's Honors Chamber Recital in Fall 2022 and 2023. He has played in masterclasses with distinguished artists including Julian Jacobsen, Horacio Gutierrez, Awadagin Pratt, Roy Bogas, Inna Faliks, Hong Xu, Alexander Malofeev, and Richard Goode. Besides piano, Chris enjoys playing basketball, crocheting, and hanging out with friends.