Conrad Tao – acclaimed pianist & composer to play at the Herbst

Pianist, composer and concert sensation Conrad Tao is returning to SF Performances October 17 with a self-curated recital at the Herbst Theatre. The intriguing playlist springs from his fascination with Romantic composer and legendary pianist Sergei Rachmaninoff and his relationship to popular music.
In an interview with the Bay Are Reporter, Tao discussed his enticing upcoming concert program, and also revealed his eloquence on other topics, including his personal life. intense passion for performance and composition is clear.

Tao’s performing style has often been called electrifying. He said, “I am embodied by my instrument. It is a visceral physical relationship.”

That’s the artist today at 31. But how did a famous child prodigy move from there to here with such amazing speed? Asked what it was like to gain recognition at such a young age, Tao said he doesn’t remember it much.

“My parents noticed I started picking out tunes on the piano by ear after my older sister started taking lessons, Tao recalled. “They were both highly educated, originally from China, and they tried to arrange for my own training. My hands were too small though, and no piano teachers would take me. So, they enrolled me in Suzuki method sessions with a miniature violin.”

That evokes a charming picture. Hopefully they saved some photos for his memoir. Tao gave his first piano recital at age 4. By the time he was 8, he made his debut with the Utah Chamber Music Festival Orchestra playing a Mozart concerto.

“When I was nine, we moved to New York City and, I studied in the Juilliard School’s Pre-College Division and at the Professional Children’s School.”

At age 10, his piano composition, “Silhouettes and Shadows” won the BMI Carlos Surinach Prize. When he was 13, Tao was featured on the PBS series “From the Top: Live from Carnegie Hall” as violinist, pianist and composer. Talk about starting your teen years in the public spotlight.

Adolescence is challenging for just about everyone, but Tao has since come out publicly as a “cis gay male” Being a gay teenager poses extra problems.

“I came out to my parents at 16 and they were dismayed and anxious,” said Tao. “Their reaction made me feel very anxious as well. It wasn’t easy.”

Worry could have spiraled out of control, but he resolved that, “I wasn’t going to let it ruin my life. By college age, I was determined to come out to everyone.”

In the words of Irving Berlin (whose music is included in the SF Performances program), he decided then and there, “Let’s face the music and dance.”

Artistic focus
Years later, he still has some righteous anger. Tao can focus it artistically. Sample his third album “American Rage” (on all major streaming platforms) for Warner Classics. Compositions by Frederic Rzewski, Julia Wolfe, and Aaron Copland cover American turmoil from the labor strikes of the 1930s to the political divides of today.

Sharing his sense of humor, we both laughed at how Copland, a “queer Commie pinko Jewish composer” came to define the “American Sound” of the mid-20th century. “Delicious irony!” Tao said.

Julia Wolfe’s piece on the album, “Compassion” shows the genuine range of Tao’s empathy.

Tao said that he doesn’t want to just dump on the ignorant beliefs of others or, closer to home, the ridiculously complicated classical music establishment, as it struggles fecklessly with NEA funding cuts and governmental scorn.

“I love the core repertoire and there is nothing like feeling the love coming from a traditional concert audience,” said Tao. “All of this exposes our industry's fragility, but that doesn’t mean we should overreact or compromise our values. We just need to keep in touch with practical solutions.”

One thing Tao is unlikely to compromise on is bending and scraping to straight stereotyping.

“I won’t do a minstrel show for the straight public’s consumption,” he said. “I love performing for everyone, but I’m always talking to my fellow queers.”  

Of his thought-provoking upcoming recital, Tao commented, “Rachmaninoff has influenced generations of modern composers. The first half is devoted to him. His connections to Billy Strayhorn and Stephen Sondheim are strong and we will explore them.”

And who could resist those glorious melodies? Think about tunesmiths like Harold Arlen and Irving Berlin (also on the bill). Conrad Tao’s ingenuity matches his technical prowess and stage presence. It promises to be an exciting and entertaining night.

Conrad Tao at the Herbst Theatre, Oct. 17, 7:30pm, 401 Van Ness Ave. $65-$85. (415) 392-2545.
https://sfperformances.org
https://www.conradtao.com