CURRICULUM VITAE
Herong Bai
Pianist · Ningxia, China
Piano Studies
- Current teacher: Cliburn Artist Fei-Fei Dong.
- Began studying piano at age four; regular remote instruction from 2014, alongside in-person study.
- Studies and masterclasses: Alexander Kobrin, Boris Berman, Robert Shannon, Jihye Chang, Alvin Chow, Haewon Song, Marina Lomazov, Ernest Barretta, Angela Cheng, Leslie Howard, among others.
Selected Performances & Festivals
- 2026 · Ningxia Symphony Orchestra New Year Concert — Grieg, Piano Concerto in A minor; only high school student soloist.
- 2026 · Brevard Music Center Piano Institute — $4,400 in merit scholarship and work-study support; Etudes Project, one of ten pianists and its only high school participant; Jan and Beattie Wood Concerto Competition semifinalist; Parker Concert Hall performance; participation in the 90th-anniversary season finale featuring Yo-Yo Ma and Giancarlo Guerrero.
- 2025 · Oberlin Piano Festival; invited again in 2026.
- Vivace International Music Festival — performance at Thalian Hall.
- 2026 · New Orleans Piano Institute — full-tuition scholarship.
Competition Distinctions
- Second Prize · IPPA Conero International Piano Competition Global Finals.
- Silver Award · Hudson International Music Competition.
Academic Interests & Achievements
- USA Junior Mathematical Olympiad qualification — index 265.5.
- AIME — 12/15.
- Individual Gold Award · National Economics Challenge.
- Interests: mathematics, macroeconomics, mathematical research, aviation data analysis, and musical structure.
Community Education & Leadership
- Volunteer piano instructor · Ningxia Library and Tongxinyuan Community — free music education, including for children from migrant-worker families and children with autism; group teaching with a shared piano.
- 2026 · Arranged 44 concert tickets for students and their families to attend a symphonic performance of Grieg's Piano Concerto.
- November 2025 · Independently coordinated music, aviation, and STEM outreach with the Ningxia Air Traffic Management Bureau, reaching more than 100 local students.
- December 2025 · Helped organize a free Ningxia Library program combining piano and classical Chinese poetry.
- Spring 2026 · Contributed to an interdisciplinary program reaching over 800 primary-school students across 14 classes.
- Youth volunteer representative · International Volunteer Day activities.
- Regional Director for Northwest China · Back to BACH Project — established the Yinchuan chapter with 52 members; recruited Germany-based pianist Yizhuo Meng for remote mentorship and invited Leo Wang (Lu Wang) as guest artist.