13 year old Vivian Kao goes to Sam H. Lawson Middle School, and is an SFCM (San Francisco Conservatory of Music) Pre-College student in both piano and cello. She studies piano with Ms. Erna Gulabyan. She has severe to profound hearing loss and wears hearing aids, but that won’t stop her from learning music.
Vivian has won numerous awards. She won first place in multiple categories in the USOMC competition, including the Showcase Piano Solo Junior Category (10-12) in which she won at age 11. Vivian received 1st place in the Great Composers Best Debussy Performance Competition in 2019. She also won 3rd place in the 2020 CAPMT Honors Competition (District 2 Category B) and 1st place in the Music Legacy Open Competition. Vivian won 1st place in the AADGT International Young Musicians Competition and 2nd place in the American Protege International Piano and Strings Competition. Because of this, she was invited to play at Carnegie Hall two times during 2020. She placed in Honorable Mention in the Marilyn Mindel 2020 Piano Competition and the KAMSA Piano Competition (Ages 12-14). Vivian also received 2nd alternate (3rd place) in the MTAC Piano Solo Competition in the year 2020.
Vivian also has performed in nursing and rehabilitation centers, and retirement communities to share music with others. In addition to piano, Vivian plays the cello and is in the SFCM youth orchestra. She is on the cross country and track & field team at school, and she is also a member of a swim team.
