Chris Ka Long Au

• Australian Concert Pianist currently living in Toronto/Montréal, Canada
• Manager of the Artistic Team, Joy of Music Inc. (Toronto)
• Academy Assistant at the Orford Music Academy (Orford, Quebec)
• Broadcast Host and Content Creation at Virtual Concert Halls (U.S.)
• Doctoral Student (PhD) at the Faculté de Musique a l’Université de Montréal (2025-2028) with Jean Saulnier and Jimmy Brière

Bio as of May 2025

Celebrated for his ‘intimate dialogue between him and the audience’ (Barrie Examiner), Chris Ka Long Au is a Hong-Kong born, Australian pianist who is currently residing in Montréal, Canada with his wife Geneviève. He began serious studies at the age of 14 with Australian pedagogue Margaret Hair, and subsequently received the highest prizes at the Sydney and Parramatta National Eisteddfods. Currently, he is a multiple award-winning concert pianist, in-demand artistic administrator, experienced broadcast and in-person host, and frequent chamber musician in Toronto and Montréal – regularly collaborating with the likes of Timothy Chooi, Jamal al Titi, and Isabella Perron. 

2024/2025 highlights have included the recording of Beethoven’s sublime Piano Concerto No. 4, Op. 58 with the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Gian Paolo Peloso, and produced by Michael Fine. He curated the program and performed in the Joy of Music Inc.’s February Showcase titled ‘Winterberries’, collaborating with violinist Nikki Chooi, Toronto-based musicians Amy Hillis, Laurence Schaufele, and Amahl Arulanandam, and incorporating contemporary dance with chamber music alongside Peggy Baker, Sonja Boretski, Jera Wolfe, and Miyeko Ferguson. He also served as Interim Development Director at the Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance, working and performing alongside the Verona Quartet as well as pianist Anna Han. 

Chris Au was born in Hong Kong and raised in Sydney, Australia. He began serious studies at the age of 14 upon his acceptance in the studio of renowned Australian pedagogue Margaret Hair. Subsequently, he received the highest prizes at the Sydney and Parramatta Eisteddfods. Unfortunately, his progress was significantly hindered for a few years when he was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis at the age of 16. Under the care of Dr. Jeffrey Chaitow, he continues to take a weekly biologic injection that keeps his condition under control.

His first musical experience overseas brought him to Germany, where he won the Audience 1^st Prize at the 2010 Klaviersommer Bad Bertrich whilst under the tutelage of Professor John Perry. Inspired by this experience, Chris began to pursue a career in music. Chris began his Undergraduate studies at The Colburn School with Ory Shihor, and continued them John Perry and David Louie at the Glenn Gould School of Music of the Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto. There, he also attained his Artist Diploma. Throughout his studies at the Glenn Gould School, he was generously sponsored by the Full-Tuition Joan and Jerry Lozinski Scholarship, and has performed in Koerner Hall.

At the University of Montréal, Chris completed his Masters of Music with Jean Saulnier in September 2020, and will begin his Doctorate studies there in the fall of 2025 with Jean Saulnier and Jimmy Brière.

He has won scholarships to many international summer festivals including the Banff Centre, the Orford Academy, the John Perry Academy, the Gijon International Piano Festival, the International Holland Music Sessions, and the Kawai Sydney International Piano Festival. He has had the great opportunity to work in masterclasses with legendary artists such as Menahem Pressler, Leon Fleisher, Richard Goode, Krzysztof Jablonski, Daniel Shapiro, Anton Nel, Andre Leplante, Marc Durand, Marietta Orlov, and Robert McDonald.

In April and May 2023, he was the Resident Pianist at the Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance, Nova Scotia, and had the privilege of performing with violinist Catherina Lee, cellists Madelyn Kowalski and Jeffrey Ho, as well as collaborating with renowned artists such as Jane Coop and James Somerville, and participated in masterclasses with Steven Isserlis. 

His inspired performances have secured multiple re-engagements particularly at the Barrie Concert Association, where he is a regular guest artist of the Midday with Shigeru Concert Series, as well as their Pianofest. He is also a regular guest artist at both Concerts@100 of Toronto, and is currently the Manager of the Artistic Team at the Joy of Music Inc., where he is currently curating a program for the Toronto Botanical Gardens Summer concerts – on Thursday August 14, 2025 – featuring National Ballet Principal Harrison James, fellow Second Soloists and Corp de Ballet members, Clara Wang (Principal Harpist of the National Ballet of Canada), and inimitable contemporary dancers the likes of Jera Wolfe, Miyeko Ferguson, Peggy Baker, and Sonja Boretski.

A successful debut with the Hart House Chamber Strings in March 2025 featuring the Mozart Piano Concerto No. 14 in E flat, K. 449 has led to a re-engagement in the Spring of 2026, featuring J. S. Bach’s Keyboard Concerto No. 1 in D Minor.