Tingting Yao

Chinese-American Pianist Tingting Yao serves as a Collaborative Pianist at Sam Houston State University's School of Music in Texas. She maintains an active international performance career across the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and China.

Educational Background:

• Advanced Postgraduate Diploma (APD) in Collaborative Piano, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
• Master of Music in Piano Accompaniment (with Distinction), Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
• Master of Music, University of Melbourne
• Bachelor of Arts, Tongji University, China

Yao specializes in collaborative piano performance with expertise spanning Baroque to contemporary repertoire. Her work emphasizes cross-cultural musical dialogue, particularly through collaborations featuring female, African American, and Latin composers. She frequently creates innovative arrangements for diverse ensembles and maintains a strong focus on contemporary classical music interpretation.

Performance Highlights:

• Covert Ensemble collaborations producing 25+ unique arrangements from J.S. Bach to contemporary composers
• Premiere of Jenni Brandon's 'The Sky Between Us' at 2023 North American Saxophone Alliance Conference
• 2022 Alabama/Florida tour and recording with Pensacola Symphony Orchestra
• Dubois-Yao Duo albums 'Luz' (2023) and 'Adoration' featuring underrepresented composers

Awards:

• 2021 World Classical Music Awards Grand Prize Winners (Dubois-Yao Duo)
• 2nd Place Ensemble, 2021 King's Peak International Music Competition

Yao maintains an extensive performance schedule at prestigious venues including Birmingham's Town Hall Symphony Hall, London's St John's Smith Square, and The Prince's Teaching Institute. Her professional trajectory includes selection for Lang Lang Music World in Shenzhen among global pianists, and she has received comprehensive recognition at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire where she won all available accompanist awards.