Hong Kong-born pianist, Betty Woo, received her D.M.A. degree in performance practice from Stanford University and the Artist Diploma from the Royal Academy of Music in London. At the start of her performing career, she received a special prize for the best performance of a twentieth-century piece in the Gina Bachauer International Competition and a special award in the Carnegie Hall International American Music Competition. She has made major solo appearances in London and New York, conducted masterclasses, gave lectures at conservatories in Hong Kong and Shanghai, and appeared in such festivals as The Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Olympics in Washington, Yachats in Oregon and Music in the Mountain in California. She has also collaborated with many diverse groups and performers, such as the contemporary music groups Earplay and the San Francisco Contemporary Chamber Players, the dance companies Oakland Ballet, Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company Group and the Paul Taylor Dance Company, and instrumentalists like the cellist Jennifer Culp. Most recently, she appeared in a concert of piano ensemble music to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Hong Kong Cultural Center.
A very successful teacher, Ms. Woo has taught for many years at the San Francisco Conservatory and Holy Names University, and currently teaches piano at University of California, Berkeley, and frequently gives talks to various music teacher groups in the Bay Area. She is also a board member of the MTAC Alameda County Branch and a much sought-after evaluator in competitions.