Laureate of the Washington International Piano Competition, Dr. Jiao Sun has been lauded by New York Concert Review as a pianist "whose gifts are prodigious, who has all the skills needed for a successful career as a performing artist, and who is the perfect ambassador for classical music," by WFMT Chicago for "expressive range and stunning technique," and by Sing Tao Daily (Hong Kong/Los Angeles) among others. Born in Harbin, China and grew up in Beijing, she won the 1st place in admission to Central Conservatory of Music at age 9 with full scholarship followed by her solo debut with orchestra at age 11, one year later she became semifinalist at Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition for Young Musicians. Dr. Sun won 1st prize at Memphis International Repertory Orchestra Competition, 1st prize at Cincinnati Conservatory Concerto Competition, 1st and 2nd prizes at two Chautauqua Piano Competitions, 3rd prize at Ohio “Tuesday” Scholarship Competition, 2nd prize at Russian “A Step Towards Mastery” International Piano Competition, and 1st prize at Chinese Golden Bell National Competition for Young Musicians. She performed extensively across North America, Europe, and Asia.
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Besides her upcoming PBS debut at the "Live at Hochstein" concert series in Rochester, NY in fall 2025, highlights of recent seasons include appearances at Chicago Dame Myra Hess memorial series, New York Liliane Questel Recital Series, Cincinnati Zemlinsky Prize Concerts, Washington competition concert, Baltimore "An Die Musik LIVE," Kentucky performances, Vancouver Vivace competition concert among others. She soloed with Memphis Repertory Orchestra, Cincinnati Conservatory Philharmonia Orchestra, and Saint Petersburg Academic Philharmonia Orchestra. Dr. Sun attended Bowdoin International Music Festival, Aspen Music Festival, PianoFest in the Hamptons, and two Chautauqua Music Festivals. Besides performances at prestigious halls include Elizabeth Lenna Hall, Eastman Kilbourn Hall, Chan Centre, and Forbidden City Concert Hall, she also guest soloed at schools such as University of Chicago, Columbia College, Ohio Denison University, China Conservatory of Music, Tianjin Conservatory of Music, Beijing People's University.
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Selected as one of the six piano trios worldwide advanced in Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, 1st prize at the Hong Kong International Chamber Music Competition and 2nd prize at the Cincinnati Conservatory Chamber Music Competition. She guest performed at Ascent International Chamber Music Festival, Cincinnati “La Salle” series, two Eastman Honors recitals, Northern Kentucky University, and Ohio Walnut High School. She performed with Toke Møldrup, Vincent and Gabriel DiMartino, Patricia Seymour Alexander among others. She will perform at PBS broadcast chamber series in Rochester, NY in fall 2025.
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Dr. Sun adjudicated Vivace International Piano Competition, Ohio Duo and Duet International Piano Competition, Hong Kong International Global Music Talent Contest, Orbifold International Piano Competition which she also served as regional director, OhioMTA Buckeye Piano Auditions. She presented twice at the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy and at the MTNA Collegiate Chapters Piano Pedagogy Symposium. She won 3rd prize for the poster session at the OhioMTA conference and published in the MTNA E-Journal for National Group Piano and Piano Pedagogy Forum GP3.
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From 2021-2024, she served as piano faculty and collaborative artist in residence at Ohio University School of Music where she teaches as master teacher of piano at its affiliated Athens Community Music School. She holds a Doctoral of Musical Arts degree in piano performance and an Artist Diploma with Soyeon Kate Lee at University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music where she won the Graduate Excellence in Teaching Award as the head of graduate teaching assistants and twice winning Dorothy Payne Scholarships; she also earned a minor in piano pedagogy with Michelle Conda. Sun gained a Master of Music degree in piano performance and literature with Douglas Humpherys and a Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance at Eastman School of Music.