Ronald Lau

Ronald Lau, a Hong Kong–born pianist now based in Toronto, is celebrated for his artistry both as a soloist and a collaborative musician. He has appeared in performance across the United States and Hong Kong, with highlights including appearances at the Old Capitol Museum and on Vladimir Horowitz’s legendary Steinway piano.

Equally passionate about collaboration, Lau has partnered with a wide range of instrumentalists and vocalists in chamber, choral, and festival settings, including the Caroga Arts Collective’s Your Body Is Your Strad/National Summer Cello Institute. His collaborative work also extends to the dance world, where he has performed with choreographers and dancers in concert and class settings, enriching his artistry through cross-disciplinary exchange.

As both a performer and scholar, Lau is committed to bringing new perspectives to the piano repertoire. His doctoral thesis and transcription of Ferdinand Hiller’s Symphony in E minor, Op. 67 led to his debut album Schumann and Hiller (MSR Classics, MS1759), which includes premiere recordings of Hiller’s symphony transcription alongside Theodor Kirchner’s solo piano version of Schumann’s Symphony No. 2. The album was praised for its “admirable Romantic fire and technical assuredness” (Ken Meltzer, Fanfare).

Beyond performance, Lau is also an accomplished recording engineer and producer. Beginning his career as a recording engineer assistant at the University of Iowa School of Music, he soon grew into an independent engineer, contributing to professional releases including Ich Denke Dein: Songs & Chamber Works by Nikolai Medtner (Albany Records), Dupont: Complete Piano Music (MSR Classics), Portuguese Perspectives (MSR Classics), and Brahms in Transcription (MSR Classics). More recently, he has worked with the Caroga Arts Collective on major projects such as Eddie Barbash’s I Cover the Waterfront (2024) and the Caroga Lake Music Festival’s performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 “Pastoral” (2023). He later served as Production Manager at the Caroga Arts Collective, producing numerous projects between 2019 and 2024.

Lau holds a Doctor of Musical Arts and Master’s degree from the University of Iowa, where he studied with Uriel Tsachor, and a Bachelor’s degree from Hong Kong Baptist University under Amelia Chan. He has also worked closely with esteemed artists such as Daniel Shapiro, Asaf Zohar, Roberta Rust, Uri Vardi, Rich Shuster, Jane Solose, Janis Vakarelis, Yen-Tim Timothy Li, and Ting Zhou through masterclasses and coaching.

Now active in Toronto, Ronald Lau continues to perform, record, and teach, sharing music with audiences and students alike.