Pianist Rob Hao performs Romantic and contemporary piano music, featuring Chopin’s final two Nocturnes, Brahms, Saariaho, Dominic Flynn and a new commission by Michael Finnissy - the tenth installment in his ‘Political Agenda’ series.
Rob Hao is an Australian pianist and composer. His compositions and performances have taken him around Australia, the UK and across continental Europe, with his musicianship having been described as ‘absolute stillness’ to ‘stirring and impetuous’ (SoundsLikeSydney). Rob’s debut at the Sydney Opera House was detailed as ‘full of personality, authenticity and virtuosity’ (ClassikOn Australia) and he has since returned as both composer and performer to the Sydney Opera House and the Melbourne Recital Centre with his project Schubert Overwritten, as well as further performances around festivals in the UK, such as Aldeburgh, Manchester Festival of Song and the Beethoven Piano Society of Europe. Rob’s work has also been broadcast on ABC Radio National as well as 2MBS Fine Music.
Rob was born in Auckland, New Zealand and raised in Sydney, Australia, where he studied piano with Ransford Elsley and gave his first concerto performance at age 16. He then moved to London and graduated from the Royal College of Music, specialising in both composition and piano where he also won first prize for both disciplines in the Contemporary Music Competition alongside prizes for song accompaniment. He also studied with the Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme, the Dartington School, the Arnold Schoenberg Centre in Vienna and the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group.
Rob’s recent compositions have taken inspiration from a variety of musical sources - from sea shanties to Schoenberg (and much more). He was the winner of the High Barnet Chamber Music Festival’s inaugural Call for Scores and was subsequently commissioned to compose for the Mad Song Ensemble. Other pieces have been commissioned and performed by standard issue, the Thames Festival Trust and BCMG’s NEXT Ensemble.
As a pianist, Rob also has a particular interest in collaborative work and the performance of 20th and 21st Century music programmed alongside the traditional repertoire. In recent seasons he has given regional and world premieres of over thirty works in both ensemble and solo settings, including works by Nicholas Vines, Michael Finnissy, Andrew Chen and Alison Kay.
With the support of Arts Council England, Help Musicians and the Francis Routh Trust, his debut LP is due for release in September 2025. His other musical endeavors have also been generously supported by the Finzi Trust, the Hinrichsen Foundation, Henry Wood Trust and Australian Music Foundation. He currently lives in London.