Xixi Marlene Tao started playing the piano at the age of six. Since 2003 she has been studying with Ragnhild Samdal at the Bærum Kulturskole (local music school in Bærum, Norway), and since 2008 also with Professor Einar Steen-Nøkleberg within the 'Young Talents' Programme at The Barratt Due Institute of Music.

In 2009 and 2011 Xixi was awarded 1st Prize for piano solo in her age category at the Ungdommens Musikkmesterskap (Norwegian Music Competition for Youth).  Furthermore, in 2009 she received the Drømmestipendet (Dream Scholarship), a collaborative project of the Norsk kulturskoleråd (The Norwegian Council for Schools of Music and Performing Arts) and Norsk Tipping (Norwegian Lottery).

She has participated in several master classes and courses such as the 12th Intensive Music Course and Festival 'From Chopin to Górecki' at the Frederyk Chopin University in Warsaw, the 37th Music Course in Łańcut (both in Poland), the Summer Music Academy  'Astona International' 2010 in Zug (Switzerland), the Internationale Sommerakademie 2009 at the University Mozarteum Salzburg (Austria), the master class with Jiri Hlinka within the Olavsfestadagene (St Olavs Festival) 2008 in Trondheim, the Valdres sommsersymfoni 2008 and the Young Chamber Music Festival 2007 in Eigersund (all in Norway).

Xixi has gained many and varied concert experiences in recent years at home and abroad. Among other things, she has played Bach's piano concerto in F minor with the music band 'His Majesty The King's Guard' as well as the Mendelssohn and Haydn piano concertos with Einar Steen-Nøkleberg. Furthermore, she has already been broadcasted on radio playing a piece by E. Grieg at Grieg's house 'Troldhaugen' in Bergen (Noway) and by Beethoven amongst others. In addition to that she has given concerts numerous times at her local music school, both as a soloist or as member of duos and larger ensembles. In March 2012 she will perform Mendelssohn's piano concerto No. 1 in G minor accompanied by the Bærum Symphony Orchestra.

Repertoire

Solo

J. S. Bach, Two Part Inventions - Inventio 1 (BWV 772)
J. S. Bach, Two Part Inventions - Inventio 14 (BWV 785)
L. van Beethoven, Sonata No. 8 'Pathétique' in C minor (Op. 13, third movement)
F. Chopin, Scherzo No. 2 in B flat minor (Op. 31)
F. Chopin, Etudes No. 1 in A flat Major (Op. 25)
F. Chopin, Waltz (Op. 64, No. 1)
C. Debussy, Children’s Corner No. 1: Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum (L113)
C. Debussy, Préludes  'La fille aux cheveux de lin' (Book 1, No. 8)
E. Grieg, Six Lyrical Pieces (Op. 65)
E. Hovland, Raindrop Etude
F. Liszt, Hungarian Rhapsody No. 11 in A minor (Op. S.244/11, LW A132/11)
R. Schumann, Arabesque No. 1 in C Major (Op. 18)

Chamber music

L. van Beethoven, Violin Sonata No. 5 in F Major (Op. 24)
L. van Beethoven, Cello Sonata No. 2 (Op. 5, second movement)
F. Chopin, Cello Sonata in G minor (Op. 65)
E. Grieg, Cello Sonata in A minor (Op. 36)
F. Kreisler, Tempo di Minuetto
W. A. Mozart, Violin Sonata No. 18 in G Major (K. 301/293a)
G. Sammartini, Sonata for piano and cello in G Major
P. Tchaikovsky, Swan Lake  'Danse Russe' (Op. 20)
R. Schumann, Piano Quintet in E flat Major (Op. 44)

With orchestra

J. S. Bach, Piano Concerto No. 5 in F minor (BWV1056)
W. Barker, Concertante for Piano and Band
J. Haydn, Concerto in D Major (Hob. XVIII/2)
F. Mendelssohn, Concerto No. 1 in G minor (Op. 25)


If you are interested in working with Xixi Marlene Tao, please get in touch with the EMCY Office.