Aria Zhao

Aria Zhao began her piano studies under the guidance of Ms. Jia Shi at the young age of six. An enthusiastic music student, she has a profound love for performing. Aria has showcased her talents at prestigious venues, including Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, the New England Piano Teachers Association Composition Competition Gala, the Accademia Musicale Citta' di Palmanova Gala Concert in Italy, Solitär Uni Mozarteum in Salzburg, the Chopin center in Szafarnia, Poland, and the Paderewski music hall with the Tarnow Orchestra, Poland.

Aria is honored as a Laureate and the youngest pianist award at the International Frederick Chopin Competition for the Youth in Szafarnia, Poland. She is the recipient of Alice Procter Award for outstanding original composition in the classical style in 2021.  In 2022, she won the Second Place at the Paderewski International Piano Competition. In 2023, Aria was awarded the First Prize in the 'Young Talents' category at the Hartford Chopin International Piano Competition. She was also the recipient of Herbert Bowker Scholarship in 2023.

This past summer, Aria participated in the Cremona Music Festival in Italy, where she not only secured the First Prize but also received the Best Romantic Piece Award and the Best Modern Piece Award. Her outstanding performance led to an invitation to collaborate with the Cremona Festival Orchestra in 2024. Recently, Aria was awarded the gold medalist at the 2024 Steinway Piano Competition.

Apart from her dedication to the piano, Aria enjoys exploring fashion design and playing the cello. Her love for travel has taken her to various beaches around the world, where she continues to find inspiration and joy.