Ory Shihor

Ory Shihor is an award-winning pianist, renowned pedagogue and an expert in talent development. His students have garnered impressive credentials as winners of top prizes in prestigious international competitions and are regularly accepted to top conservatories and universities such as Curtis, Juilliard, NEC, Yale, Peabody, Eastman, Royal Academy of Music (UK) and more. Ory studied at the Curtis Institute of Music at age 15 and later graduated from The Juilliard School.
His teaching philosophy has transformed the playing of hundreds of students over the course of his 25-year teaching career, making him one of the most sought-after and well-respected piano teachers in the world.
But it didn’t start out this way…
After a rapid succession of events during his teens, which included studies at the Curtis Institute, winning the Young Concert Artists International Auditions and the coveted Gina Bachauer prize while a student at Juilliard, Ory’s career as a pianist was taking off at a rapid pace.
He soon found himself in the midst of a whirlwind of major concert debuts, solo and orchestral tours, recordings and ultimately representation by one of the world’s most prestigious classical artist agencies at that time, Columbia Artists Management (CAMI).
However, Ory’s rapid early success proved consequential as it made him feel overconfident, thus resistant to constructive criticism. This, coupled with having to return to his homeland in order to complete its mandatory military service, brought Ory’s career to a halt.
Upon his return to the US from his military service, Ory found himself in financial distress and spent several years working odd jobs in order to survive (busboy, waiter, furniture mover, etc.) while practicing at nights in an effort to reinvent himself as a pianist.
During this humbling experience, the conscious and at times painful process of analyzing his own playing led him to become a much improved pianist and a more resilient person.
As result, Ory resurrected his playing career, which led to winning the Washington International Piano Competition as well as a major prize at the Arthur Rubinstein Master Piano Competition.
Ory accredits his early struggles as instrumental in making him a highly effective and compassionate teacher and mentor to young pianists and piano teachers around the world.
Ory lives in San Jose, California, where he pursues his passions for synthesizers, cars and coffee. He lives with his wife, Maria, and their cat, Fester.
Ory Shihor is an internationally acclaimed, award-winning pianist and renowned master teacher who has spent the last 25 years helping young gifted pianists develop their musical talent to its fullest potential.
He has helped countless students ace their college auditions and get accepted into the world’s top music conservatories and universities, such as The Juilliard School and Yale University.
To date, his students have received over $3 million in scholarship offers, performing on the world’s premiere stages and winning top prizes in prestigious piano competitions.
A graduate of Juilliard and Curtis, Mr. Shihor is a frequent speaker and master class teacher at major conservatories and universities around the globe such as the Beijing and Shanghai Conservatories, Seoul National University, Taiwan National Normal University, Northwestern University, San Francisco Conservatory, Boston Conservatory, Oberlin Conservatory and the Royal Northern College of Music.
For over a decade, he served as piano professor at the Colburn Conservatory and as founding dean of its pre-college academy for highly gifted young musicians.
After a 20-year teaching career in higher education, Mr. Shihor co-founded the Ory Shihor Institute (OSI) together with his wife, Maria Liu, where he continues to teach young gifted pianists and train a new generation of piano teachers using his proven teaching approach.
Ory Shihor is a Bösendorfer and Yamaha artist.
1st Prize Winner, Young Concert Artists International Auditions
Prize Winner, Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition
1st Prize, Washington International Piano Competition
1st Prize Winner, Gina Bachauer Prize, Juilliard
President & Master Teacher, Ory Shihor Institute (2015-present)
Piano Professor, Colburn Conservatory (2008-2019)
Dean & Founder, Colburn Music Academy (2010-2017)
Director, Colburn Academy Piano Festival (2011-2017)
Academic Faculty, Colburn Conservatory (2004-2015)
Piano Faculty & Piano Department Co-Chair, Colburn School of Performing Arts (2000-2014)
Curtis Institute of Music
BM, Juilliard School
MM, University of Southern California
PIANO COMPETITIONS
2024, 1st prize winner (US$300), United States International Music Competition (9 and under)
2024, 2nd prize winner + best Bach prize (US$900), The Spotlight International Piano Competition (10 to 13)
2024, Gold medal winner, 10th Seattle International Piano Competition - Youth Category
2024, 1st prize winner (500 €), International Vienna Piano Competition, Austria (7 to 9)
2024, 1st prize winner, Music Teachers' Association of California (MTAC) Piano Concerto Competition (12 and under) - State Finals
2024, winner, PianoTexas Juniors Concerto Competition (10 to 18) + Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra debut
2024, 1st prize winner, Music Teachers' Association of California (MTAC) Piano Concerto Solo Competition (12 and under)- Northern Region
2024, 1st alternate winner, Music Teachers' Association of California (MTAC) Piano Concerto Solo Competition (12 and under) - Northern Region
2024, 1st prize winner, 32nd U.S. Open Music Competition (Showcase Piano Solo)
2024, 2nd prize winner, 32nd U.S. Open Music Competition (Showcase Piano Solo)
2024, 1st place winner, California Association of Professional Music Teachers (CAPMT) Honors Competition
2023, 1st prize winner, Music Teachers' Association of California (MTAC) Piano Solo Competition (12 and under) - State Finals
2023, 2nd prize winner (1500 €), 30th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition for Children and Youth in Szafarnia, Poland (10 and under)
2023, 1st prize winner, Music Teachers' Association of California (MTAC) Piano Concerto Solo Competition (12 and under) - Southern Region
2023, 1st prize winner, Hartford Chopin Competition
2023, Outstanding Gold Medalist Award, 31st U.S. Open Music Competition
2023, 1st prize winner, U.S. Open Piano Competition (Showcase Piano Solo)
2022, Award winner, YoungArts National Arts Competition (15 to 18)
2019, 1st prize winner, Steinway Junior Piano Competition (14 to 18)
2019, 2nd prize winner, Steinway Junior Piano Competition (14 to 18)
2019, 3rd prize winner, Steinway Junior Piano Competition (14 to 18)
2018, 1st prize winner, YoungArts National Foundation Competition (15 to 18)
2018, 2nd prize winner, Los Angeles International Liszt Competition (15-17)
2018, Young Scholar, Lang Lang International Music Foundation (Class of 2018-2020)
2017, 1st prize winner (US$25,000), Walter W. Naumburg International Piano Competition + a commissioned work by Stephen Hough (18 to 32)
2017, 1st prize winner, Hilton Head International Piano Competition (13 to 17)
2017, finalist, Montreal International Piano Competition
2016, winner, Aspen Music Festival Piano Concerto Competition
2016, medalist prize winner, Hilton Head International Piano Competition (13 to 17)
2015, 1st prize winner, Virginia Waring International Piano Competition
2015, semi-finalist, Paloma O’shea Santander International Piano Competition
2014, winner of Davidson Fellow Laureate (USD$50,000) Scholarship
2013, 2nd prize winner, Bosendorfer and Yamaha USASU International Piano Competition (13 to 15)
2013, Young Artist Piano Prize, Mondavi Young Artist Competition
2012, winner, Concurs International Long Thibaud Crespin
2012, 3rd prize winner, Piano Campus International Piano Competition
2012, semi-finalist, Paloma O’shea Santander International Piano Competition
Numerous students were selected to be featured on NPR’s From The Top and awarded Jack Kent Cooke Scholarships
Music School Acceptances (please note this is not an exhaustive list):
CLASS OF 2026:
The Juilliard School (BM)
Oberlin Conservatory of Music (BM)
The John Hopkins Peabody Institute of Music (BM)
Manhattan School of Music (BM)
San Francisco Conservatory of Music (BM)
Emory University Department of Music (BA)
CLASS OF 2024:
Indiana University Jacobs School of Music (MM)
New England Conservatory (BM)
Royal Academy of Music in UK (BM)
The John Hopkins Peabody Institute of Music (BM)
Mannes School of Music (BM)
Boston University School of Music (MM)
Manhattan School of Music (BM, MM)
Lynn University Conservatory of Music (MM)
San Francisco Conservatory of Music (BM, MM)
CLASS OF 2022:
The Juilliard School (2 BM)
Curtis Institute of Music (BM)
Royal Academy of Music in UK (BM)
New England Conservatory (BM)
Eastman School of Music (BM)
The John Hopkins Peabody Institute of Music (BM)
Boston Conservatory at Berklee (BM)
University of Southern California (BM)
San Francisco Conservatory of Music (BM)
CLASS OF 2021:
San Francisco Conservatory of Music (BM)
University of Miami Frost School of Music (BM)
CLASS OF 2020:
The Juilliard School (MM)
Yale School of Music (MM)
CLASS OF 2019:
The Juilliard School (BM)
The John Hopkins Peabody Institute of Music (BM)
CLASS OF 2017:
The Juilliard School (BM, AD)
Manhattan School of Music (MM)
CLASS OF 2016:
Royal Academy of Music in UK (BM)
Cleveland Institute of Music (BM)
CLASS OF 2015:
Northwestern University (DMA)
CLASS OF 2014:
Manhattan School of Music (MM)
2022 Music Teachers’ Association of California (MTAC Irvine Branch):
Pedagogy Lecture: “The Why, When and How of Pedaling - A historical and practical perspective on pedaling for intermediate repertoire and beyond.”
2022 Music Teachers’ Association of California (MTAC San Francisco Branch): Masterclass with Ory Shihor featuring students from the San Francisco Branch
2021 National Conference of Keyboard and Pedagogy (NCKP):
Pedagogy Lecture: “Beliefs & Misconceptions: Repertoire Choices and Their Impact on Musical Development.”
2020 Music Teachers’ Association of California (MTAC) State Convention:
Masterclass with Ory Shihor featuring Certificate of Merit (CM) Panel Young Artists
Pedagogy Lecture: “How to Keep Students Engaged and Bring Out Their Hidden Musical Potential.”
Pedagogy Lecture: “Online vs. In-Person Learning and How it Affects Teaching Approaches.”
2020 Steinway Teacher and Education Partner Program (STEP):
Beethoven Masterclass with Ory Shihor featuring an advanced student
2020 The Wallis Performing Arts Center:
Masterclass with Ory Shihor featuring Students from Grow @ The Wallis Community Outreach Project
2019 Music Teachers’ Association of California (MTAC) Convention - Featured Artist:
Masterclass with Ory Shihor featuring Certificate of Merit (CM) Panel Young Artists
Pedagogy Lecture: “Preparing Piano Students to Ace Their Audition.”
Lecture (Student Track): “Acing Piano Auditions and get accepted to top-choice music colleges”

PRAISE FROM INDUSTRY LEADERS

“I first knew Ory Shihor as a brilliant, poetic teenage artist. As a mature artist and teacher, he has the rare gift of communicating that poetic brilliance to his students.”

— Jerome Lowenthal, Piano Faculty, The Juilliard School

"Ory Shihor’s sold-out debut performance at The Wallis introduced both traditional piano recital and innovative theatrical elements to our audiences with tremendous success…Shihor operated skillfully as both world-class pianist and compelling storyteller for an enlightening evening of Schubert, allowing audiences to appreciate fully the composer’s major sonatas in their historical context.”

— Rachel Fine, Executive Director, Yale Schwarzman Center; Former CEO, The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts

“A GREAT teacher, and a SUPERB musician. Has performed all 32 Beethoven Sonatas in public. Has the highest rate of student entry into the world’s major conservatories. Everyone should study with Ory Shihor.”

— Hershey Felder, Pianist/Actor/Playwright

“Studying with Mr. Shihor not only has allowed me to pursue my dreams, but also changed my life. His ever-growing attention to style, precision, and delicacy has brought to my music colors that I would have never imagined if it were not for his unprecedented teaching. I cannot thank Mr. Shihor enough for the 9 years of guiding me and my music and for making it possible for me to get accepted to the Curtis Institute of Music!”

Ray Ushikubo 16yo - Acceptance to Curtis and Juilliard BM in Piano Performance

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“It’s very hard to explain with words how grateful I am to Mr. Shihor for the past 4 years studying with him. His unconditional belief in the student’s abilities and his commitment to make the most of those abilities no matter what it takes. Often he believed in me more than I did myself, and kept demanding and encouraging the highest level in pieces without exception. He can justify that belief because he knows how to make that potential a reality through extraordinary attention to detail, ear and musical intuition. The most remarkable thing which I’ve noticed, however, is his ability to point out exactly the things that I need but that I’m not yet hearing in the music, to let that piece develop to a next level that I could not imagine before the lesson, and that sometimes I was not even aiming for to start with, because I didn’t know it was possible for me. I just didn’t know how to reach that level and he helped me every time without fail. If I look back to those 4 years in a bigger scale I can see how much Mr. Shihor has helped me find and develop my technique, my ear and my musical and pianistic personality.”

Albert Cano Smit 20yo - Acceptance to Juilliard and Yale MM in Piano Performance

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MUSIC REVIEWS

The Wallis presents Ory Shihor, piano | Beethoven: Darkness and Light

Featured

“clear, clean, and direct, with plenty of virtuosity when required”

- LA Opus

EXPERT TOPICS

Piano Education. Talent Development. Piano Performance. Entrepreurship.

Beverly Hills Television host Joan Agajanian Quinn interviews Ory Shihor on his piano and musical journey as a 15 yo student at the Curtis Institute of Music and as a well-established professor and mentor today. Recorded on January 12, 2018.

Hawaii Public Radio host interviews Ory Shihor about his upcoming seminar in Honolulu and his thoughts on young people pursuing a career in music. Recorded on June 15, 2018.

Ory Shihor providing feedback to a contestant during the final episode of the Wonderkid Talent Show HTV3. Recorded on Oct 15, 2017.

KUSC Classical host Brian Lauritzen Interviews Ory Shihor about his upcoming Beethoven performance (Ory also invited his 17 yo piano student Lucas Sha to join the conversation). Recorded on October 7, 2021.

“How to keep students engaged and bring out their hidden musical potential.” Recorded live at the 2020 Music Teachers’ Association of California Virtual State Convention. Recorded on July 12, 2020.