Source: Thomas Jackson, 785-532-2354, tjackson@k-state.edu
Web site: http://www.k-state.edu/mccain/
News release prepared by: Nellie Ryan, 785-532-6415, media@k-state.edu

Friday, Jan. 30, 2009

CHILD PRODIGY CONRAD TAO TO PERFORM AT K-STATE'S MCCAIN AUDITORIUM

MANHATTAN -- Conrad Tao began playing the piano at 18 months of age. Now at age 13, he travels the United States and abroad to showcase his musical talent on both piano and violin.

Tao will be performing at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 7, at Kansas State University's McCain Auditorium as part of the McCain Performance Series. His performance will include an original composition, as well as works from Beethoven, Corigliano, Rachmaninoff and Chopin.

Tao will also be conducting a lecture-demonstration for interested K-State students and high school junior and senior music students on the K-State campus. More information about the residency is available at http://www.k-state.edu/mccain

Born in Urbana, Ill., Tao gave his first public piano recital at age 4. He performed a recital at the World Piano Pedagogy Conference at age 7, and when he was 8, Tao made his concerto debut with the Utah Chamber Music Festival Orchestra, performing Mozart's Piano Concerto in A Major, K. 414.

Tao has performed with several famous groups including the Orlando Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Russian National Orchestra. He has played at some of the most prestigious concert halls in the world including Carnegie Hall, Juilliard's Paul Hall and the Lincoln Theater.

As an accomplished violinist, Tao won the 2003 Walgreens National Concerto Competition. He is currently playing an 1899 Giulio Degani violin, which is on loan to him from the Juilliard Rare Instrument Collection.

Tickets to see Tao are on sale now. Prices start at $10.50 for K-State students and children 18 and under. General public tickets start at $21. Discounts for K-State faculty, seniors and military also are available. Tickets can be purchased at the McCain Auditorium box office, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, or by calling 785-532-6428. More information is also is available online at http://www.k-state.edu/mccain/

Tao's performance and residency are sponsored by Capitol Federal.