Hao Rao | 饶灏
Chinese pianist Hao Rao has established himself as a compelling artistic voice of his generation, noted for his “aristocratic, timeless beauty” and “rare blend of technical mastery and poetic sensitivity.” He first came to international attention at age seventeen as a Finalist and Honorable Mention at the 18th International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw, becoming the youngest Chinese pianist ever recognized at this level. Since then, his artistry has continued to deepen and mature, captivating audiences across Europe, Asia, and North America.
CITYGLOW Hamburg wrote that “one can clearly hear the emerging master in his voice,” while Wyborcza noted that “the phenomenally talented young Hao Rao proved that you don’t have to be born on the Vistula to understand Chopin.” The Musical Intelligencer described his playing as “virtuosic mastery… youthful exuberance and joy,” and Gramophone highlighted the “ravishing songfulness” and “sparkle and élan” of his Chopin performances.
Hao has performed in more than fifty cities across France, the United Kingdom, Poland, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Singapore, the United States, and China, appearing at venues such as Salle Cortot in Paris, Jordan Hall in Boston, Royal Łazienki Park and Żelazowa Wola in Warsaw, Victoria Concert Hall in Singapore, and the Duszniki International Chopin Festival, where critics hailed his recital as “the birth of a great artist.” As a concerto soloist, he has collaborated with orchestras including the Warsaw Philharmonic, Camerata Salzburg, China National Symphony Orchestra, NCPA Symphony Orchestra, Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra, and the Thailand Philharmonic, under conductors such as Andrey Boreyko, Lv Jia, Daye Lin, Alfonso Scarano, Srba Dinić, Guoyong Zhang, Fan Tao, and Jong-Jie Yin.
Born in 2004 in Jishou, a Tujia-minority mountain town in Hunan Province, Hao began making thirty-two-hour round-trip train journeys to Guangzhou at the age of eight to study with his longtime teacher, Professor Vivian Li, who has guided his artistic development for more than a decade. His acceptance into the Middle School of the Xinghai Conservatory of Music marked the beginning of a path that would lead him from remote beginnings to major international stages. Their remarkable journey—shaped by resilience, dedication, and a profound musical bond—was captured with warmth and honesty in the documentary Pianoforte, directed by Jakub Piątek. The film, in which Hao and Professor Li appear as central figures, received the International Emmy Award for Best Arts Documentary in 2024.
An exclusive recording artist with NCPA Classics, Hao has released three albums to date. His debut recording, Chopin Recital (2022), won Best Piano Album at China’s 18th Hi-Fi Awards. His second album, a Piano Trio recording (2023), showcased a different dimension of his musicianship in chamber repertoire. His latest release, Chopin Complete Études (2025), recorded at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, marks a major milestone in his artistic development.
His competition successes include top prizes at the Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition for Young Artists, Aarhus International Piano Competition, E-Piano International Competition, Zhuhai Mozart Competition, Ettlingen International Competition, Krainev Competition, and numerous national awards in China. He was also selected for the prestigious Morningside Music Bridge —an elite international summer program for exceptionally gifted young musicians—for four consecutive years, a testament to the consistency and depth of his artistic development. He is the recipient of France’s Prix du Meilleur Artiste de l’Année (2024) and Poland’s Golden Honorary Cross of the Piłsudski Association of the Republic of Poland (2025), honors recognizing both his artistic achievement and cultural impact.
