Sean Gao, Violin

Sean Gao was born in June 2000 in Guangzhou, China. He moved to Vancouver at the age of two and began his violin studies at the age of six with his father.

At the age of 13, Mr. Gao made his début as a soloist with the Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra, and has won numerous awards and scholarships in the Vancouver Kiwanis Music Festival.

Mr. Gao has numerous orchestral music experiences, currently the concertmaster of the Vancouver Academy of Music (VAM) Symphony Orchestra, and former concertmaster of the Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Gao has spent his recent summers at the VSO Institute at Whistler and Domaine Forget. He has had the opportunity to play in master classes for many world renowned soloists including Rachel Barton Pine, Ray Chen, Régis Pasquier, Olivier Charlier, and many more.

In addition to his orchestral contributions, Mr. Gao is also an avid chamber musician, appearing as concertmaster for the VAM Concertante Orchestra, and prize winner of the Friends of Chamber Music Competition.

Mr. Gao currently studies with VSO concertmaster Nicholas Wright, and renowned UBC professor David Gillham at the Vancouver Academy of Music. His contribution to the musical community in Vancouver inspires himself along with others to achieve greater goals through music making.