Haodong Wu, pianist

Born in Shanghai, China, Haodong Wu began studying the piano at age 6. She made her debut with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra playing the Haydn D Major Piano Concerto at age 9 and was selected as one of the only 5 candidates across China to study at the Elementary School affiliated to Shanghai Conservatory of Music. During her study at the Shanghai Conservatory, Ms. Wu won competitions such as the “Zhu Jiang Cup” National Piano Competition, the “Gu Lang Yu” National Piano Competition, and the first prize of the Concerto Competition playing Chopin’s Second Piano Concerto at the Shanghai Conservatory.

At age 18, Ms. Wu was awarded a merit-based scholarship to study at the prestigious Mannes College of Music in New York City. She studied with Pavlina Dokovska, the chair of the Piano department, and later with Cristina Stanescu, the chair of the Collaborative Piano department. Ms. Wu was also awarded the Newton Swift Piano Award upon graduation, for excellence as a solo pianist as well as a collaborative pianist and a chamber musician.

During her study at Mannes, she has had master-classes with such renowned artists as Richard Goode, Vladimir Feltsman, Ann Schein, and with Peter Frankl at the “MusicFest” summer festival in Perugia, Italy. She has graced the stages of major New York City venues, including Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, The Metropolitan Club, Steinway Hall, Merkin Concert Hall, the Union Club, Neue Galerie, the German Consulate of New York, and the Polish Consulate of New York. Her performance of the Scriabin Piano Sonata No. 2, known as the “Sonata-Fantasy” was chosen by Robert Sherman and broadcast live on WQXR – the only station solely devoted to classical music in New York.