Tommy Ho (Piano)

“A clearly adept and intimate chamber music partner, Ho Yu To (Tommy) switched seamlessly between tender, whimsical lyricism and finely articulated passagework in Schumann’s towering E-Flat Major Piano Quartet.” Christopher Halls, Music Critic at the South China Morning Post. 

As soon as his father knew from Chinese astrology that his son Tommy was to excel at the piano, he was encouraged to begin lessons at the age of seven. Now, as a fourth year undergraduate at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), Tommy majors in piano performance under the tutelage of Professor Raymond Young. 

Nicknamed “Dry Baby” due to an eczema condition that has left him with dry, irritated skin, Tommy obtained his ATCL in piano performance with distinction, and soon broadened his horizons by taking part in a multitude of masterclasses at the CUHK given by Professors Lancy Loo, David Gwilt, Patrick Yim, Jenny Soojin Kim, Ksenia Nosikova, as well as chamber music coached by Dr. Kiu Tung Poon, Wing Wun Ip, and Su Yin Mak.

Proving his mettle at competitions too, Tommy picked up the Gold Prize at the Hong Kong Children and Youth Piano Contest in 2019, First Prize at the Hong Kong International Music and Cultural Festival Piano Competition in 2022, and Second Prize at the Antonio Vivaldi International Youth Competition in Vienna in 2024. 

His versatility as a pianist speaks for itself, and his recent performances, including those at the French Music Project at CUHK in 2023 and 2024, the 60th Anniversary Global Student Concert “Dialogue in Music: Global Connection” as well as concerts organised by Wiener Musikseminar in Vienna and the inauguration concert of JENGAH! were all resounding successes. 

As the pianist of La Nature Trio, Tommy’s participation at the “Ground Music” project organised by KALOS has led him to expand his performance scope with concerts at such venues as Yoho Mall and Hysan Place. Aside from his active life as a pianist, Tommy’s skill at composing has also been fruitful, seeing his first piano trio “Happy Birthday” premiered at the Bauhinia Concert in 2024.

To this day, eczema has never prevented Tommy from tackling virtuosic, technically demanding repertoire and his passion for eccentric interpretations. Praised by his teacher as a pianist with a vast amount of musical intelligence, he not only focuses on special techniques but also draws inspiration from a diversity of musical styles from Hiromi Uehara to the cornerstones of the orchestral repertoire.