Recognized as one of the world's most successful performing artists of his generation from the People's Republic of China, Xiang Gao is cited by the New York Times as " a rare and soulful virtuoso". He has performed for many world leaders, including the former Presidents of the U.S. and China. His musical integrity and virtuoso technique have gained accolades from audiences and reviewers around the world. World-renowned conductor Neeme Jarvi's comment on his musicianship was "I have conducted many of the world's top young soloists including Gil Shaham, Joshua Bell, and Lang Lang. Mr. Gao is an artist of this stature!"

In 1994, he became the first Chinese violinist to join the roster of Columbia Artists Management (Wilford/Tucker division), and began his professional solo career. Highlights of the recent season's engagements include the North American premier of Eduard Tubin's violin concerto No. 1 with the Detroit Symphony; the U.S. premier performance of Eino Tamberg's violin concerto with the Absolute Ensemble in Merkin hall, New York City; solo performances with the Czech Philharmonic, the Gothenburg Symphony-National Orchestra of Sweden, the St. Petersburg Philharmonic of Russia, the Estonia National Symphony, the Mexico State Symphony, the Kansas City Symphony, the Memphis Symphony, the Alabama Symphony, Aspen Music Festival orchestras, the Knoxville Symphony, and the Delaware Symphony. Among the world's major concert halls and festivals at which Mr. Gao frequently appears are Carnegie Hall, the Finlandia Hall in Helsinki, the Aspen Music tent, the Smetana Hall, the "Prague Spring" international Music Festival, the Singapore International Music Festival, the David Oistrakh International Music Festival, the Spoleto Music Festival, the Tallinn International Festival, the Interlochen Festival, and the Meadow Brook Music Festival. Mr. Gao's master-classes and recital performances are given through out North America, Asia, Europe and South America.

With his strong interest in theater and Asian traditional music, Xiang Gao created the acclaimed Butterfly Lovers Multimedia Violin Concerto, which recreates a popular ancient Chinese fairytale similar to "Romeo and Juliet" for the western world through the use of a modern orchestral or piano score (composed by Zhanhao He and Gang Chen), a solo violin, a synchronized visual presentation of ancient Chinese brush painting on screen and a dramatic reading (written by playwright Danny Peak) presented by two actors. This exciting production showcases Chinese music, culture, society and history which strengthens classical concerts' roles in international culture exchange through the promotion of reflection, discussion, understanding, integration and proliferation of Asia at all levels and the enrichment of the western classical music repertoire in the 21st century. This production was successfully premiered in the Grand Opera House of Wilmington, Delaware in 2004 and was most recently awarded a grant by the National Endowment for the Arts. The concerto is engaged by orchestras and chamber music presenters worldwide starting in the 2006-07 season with a major orchestral debut with the Detroit Symphony in February of 2007.

As an active chamber musician, Xiang Gao has collaborated with some of the world's leading chamber musicians such as members of the Guarneri String Quartet, Opus One, Orion String Quartet and the Beaux Arts Trio; violinists Cho-liang Lin, Pamela Frank, David Kim(concert master of the Philadelphia Orchestra), Paul Kantor, and Jonathan Carney(concert master of the Baltimore Symphony); violists Steven Tenenbom, Daniel Foster(principal violist of the National Symphony), Victoria Chiang and Hongmei Xiao, former principal violist of the Minnesota Orchestra; Pianists Orli Shaham, Martin Katz, Fou Ts'ong, and Charles Abramovic; cellists Andres Diaz, Erling Bengtsson, Peter Wiley; leading members of cello master Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble, and many others. Xiang Gao is the Artistic Director of the International Chamber Players (ICP) based in Michigan and the University of Delaware's "Master Players" chamber series.

As a creative crossover musician, Mr. Gao arranges and improvises in the styles of jazz, bluegrass and South American music. He is a member of the "China Magpie" ensemble (with vocalist and sheng master Wu Tong, pipa soloist Li Hui and guitarist Liu Lin) under Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Project that performs crossover music worldwide. In 2006-2007 season, the ensemble's Silk Road Project engagements include performances at the Rubin Museum of New York City, Harvard University Silk Road project residency, and Silk Road Chicago. Xiang is also a song writer and accomplished keyboard player who improvises in the style of jazz, blues and pop.

Mr. Gao lives in Newark, Delaware where he is the youngest Associate Professor of Music at the University of Delaware's Department of Music. He is also the winner of the 2002 State of Delaware Division of the Arts Established Artist Award. He performs on a fine violin made by master maker G.B Ceruti of Cremona, Italy in 1794. This rare instrument was purchased by the University of Delaware to support Mr. Gao's international performing career which made national news. In 2006, the Stradivari Society selected Mr. Gao to be a recipient of a Stradivarius violin for his international solo concerts.

Between his busy performing and teaching days, Mr. Gao can be found cooking Chinese cuisine, watching college football, or skiing with wife Renee on the beautiful mountains of Vail, Colorado. Their first baby Samantha Rae Gao was born in May of 2005, and they also share their home with two Tonkinese cats, Tiggie and Meili.

Critical Acclaim

"A rare, soulful virtuoso!" --The New York Times

"Unbeatable performance! Gao’s blend of emotion and technique; strength and subtlety was a pleasure to witness." --The Washington Post

"Gao is effortlessly lyrical, this young Chinese virtuoso’s arching phrases and velvety tone exactly fit the music. ...Such Beautiful playing." --The Detroit News & Free Press (Read the entire review of this remarkable November 2001 performance.)

"Brilliant violinist and a dazzling performance! At quite a daring tempo, the flitting, fluttering finale (Saint Saëns violin concerto #3) was dispatched with succulent tone and effortless assurance. But there was no lack of feeling in the concerto’s more soulful stretches, with singing, soaring lines to take your breath away." --The Kansas City Star

"Playing without a hint of showiness, Gao polished a diamond with delicate phrasing, such as the way one momentarily pauses for the cadence of poetry or the subtlety of a sustained pure tone before vibrato dresses it up. It was exquisite, brilliant playing that was much like chamber music than it was a concerto (Mozart #4 in D major)" --The Knoxville News-Sentinel

"A delightful and spectacular violinist, Xiang radiates a love and enjoyment of music, and provided a spirited display of virtuosity. To watch him play, even if one could not hear a note, is an emotional experience—everything he feels plays across his face as well as his violin!" --The Aspen Times

"Mr. Gao gave the Sibelius’ violin concerto a definition that only comes through intimate knowledge of not only the notes, but of the style and the composer,.…. he is spectacular in sound and sight." --The State Journal-Register (Springfield, IL)

"Every note from this American-Chinese violinist Xiang Gao's bright instrument was crispy and so rich in overtones, the spirited physically involved force of his interpretation was a declaration of love. The concerto's (Tubin) very personal form and melodies offer so much of magical dawn moods, whirling tarantella rhythms and intricate finger skills that could certainly carry its own violin contest, like the one of Sibelius in Helsinki and the one of Tchaikowsky in Moscow." --Carl Gunnar Ahlen (the most important Swedish critic in Stockholm)
(Translated by Vardo Rumessen, President of International Tubin Society)