Matthew Tao is 19 years old and currently a sophomore piano performance major at Carnegie Mellon University studying with Frederic Chiu. He began playing piano again four years ago at Peabody Preparatory (Institute of Johns Hopkins) after serious wrist injuries and a few years without practicing. Shortly after Matthew started playing piano once more, he performed in the Peabody Signature Recital series and was nominated to play in the Vella Silver Recital and won in competitions including the MSMTA Spring Festival and Miriam Gottlieb Memorial Piano Competition. Later, participating in music festivals including Indiana University Piano Academy (IUPA) and Masterclass Anacapri (Island of Capri, Italy), Matthew rediscovered his passion for playing piano and decided to pursue a professional career in college. Over his many years from youth to today, Matthew has developed a personal relationship with the works of Chopin. Chopin’s musical world has opened the doors for Matthew’s love of music from numerous composers including Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Rachmaninoff, and Prokofiev. While away from the piano, Matthew also enjoys composing, playing tennis, and traveling around the world.
