Date and Time
Friday Feb 6, 2026
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM CST
Friday, February 6
Noon
Location
National Music Museum
Vermillion, SD
Fees/Admission
Included with Museum Admission
Contact Information
605-658-3450
Send Email
Description
Praised for his depth of artistry and technical mastery, pianist Lio Kuok-Wai has captivated audiences worldwide. A graduate of the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music under Gary Graffman, he is the recipient of the Avery Fisher Career Grant, the Musical Fund Society of Philadelphia’s Career Advancement Award, and several scholarships from the Macau Cultural Affairs Bureau and Feltsman Piano Foundation.
Kuok-Wai made his concerto debut at ten with the Macau Orchestra at the 2000 Macau Arts Festival. Since then, he has performed at some of the world’s most renowned venues and collaborated with leading orchestras and conductors, including the China Philharmonic, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Camerata Salzburg, and Houston Symphony. He has worked with distinguished conductors such as Edo de Waart, François-Xavier Roth, and Michael Stern.
His exceptional talent has earned top prizes in competitions like the International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians, the Gina Bachauer International Young Artists Competition, and the Chopin International Piano Competition in Asia.
Born in Macau, Lio Kuok-Wai began his musical journey at age five. By 1997, he had received a full scholarship to study under Gabriel Kwok at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. He has further honed his craft at Yale University, the University of Kansas, and the International Center for Music at Park University. Kuok-Wai has studied with and performed in masterclasses led by Sir András Schiff and Leon Fleisher, among others. A regular participant at the Marlboro Music Festival, he has performed alongside distinguished musicians such as Kim Kashkashian, Pamela Frank and members of the Guarneri, Juilliard, and Shanghai Quartets.
Kuok-Wai has also been recognized for his cultural contributions, receiving the Título Honorífico de Valor (Honorific Title of Merit) from Macau’s former Chief Executive, Ho Hau Wah. He has performed for high-profile dignitaries, including then-President of China Hu Jintao, Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, and Stanley Ho.
Recent highlights include his performance during the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in 2023 and a 2024 fundraising concert for peace at Milan’s Teatro dal Verme, honoring the legacy of Fr. Luigi Giussani. He was invited to present the “Spirto Gentil” at the New York Encounter.
The NMM Live! Series is made possible by the USD Student Government Association and the South Dakota Arts Council through the Department of Tourism, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
