Ory Shihor is an award-winning pianist, pedagogue, and internationally recognized expert in pianistic and musical development. His students have earned top prizes in major international competitions and have been admitted to leading conservatories and universities worldwide, including Curtis, Juilliard, Yale, New England Conservatory, Eastman, and the Royal Academy of Music in London.
A graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music and The Juilliard School, Mr. Shihor’s work as a teacher and mentor is informed by a deep understanding of artistic growth, technical development, and long-term musical thinking. His approach integrates historical awareness, rigorous analysis, and practical strategies that support both performance excellence and personal resilience.
In addition to his academic appointments and international teaching activities, Mr. Shihor is widely regarded for his ability to guide students through pivotal stages of artistic development, from early promise to professional readiness.
Lecturer, Piano, Stanford University (2025–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
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
Ory Shihor is an internationally acclaimed pianist and educator. His students have won major competitions, including the Walter W. Naumburg International Piano Competition, Montreal International Piano Competition, Hilton Head International Piano Competition, Bösendorfer and Yamaha USASU International Piano Competition, and have gained admission to top music conservatories and universities, such as Juilliard, Yale and Curtis.
A graduate of Juilliard and Curtis, Mr. Shihor is a frequent speaker and master class teacher at leading conservatories and universities around the world, including the Beijing and Shanghai Conservatories, Seoul National University, National Taiwan Normal University, Northwestern University, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, 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.
Mr. Shihor is a winner of the Young Concert Artists International Auditions and the Washington International Piano Competition, a prize winner at the Rubinstein International Master Piano Competition, and a recipient of the Gina Bachauer Prize at Juilliard.
Mr. Shihor is the founder of the Ory Shihor Institute (OSI) and serves on the Piano Faculty of Stanford University as Lecturer.
Based in Northern California, Mr. Shihor is a Bösendorfer and Yamaha artist.
Ory Shihor is an internationally acclaimed pianist and educator. His students have won major competitions and gained admission to top music conservatories and universities.
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.
Mr. Shihor is the founder of the Ory Shihor Institute (OSI) and serves on the Piano Faculty of Stanford University as Lecturer.

PRAISE FROM INDUSTRY LEADERS

A middle-aged man with glasses and gray hair, wearing a dark suit, blue shirt, and patterned tie, looking at the camera in a formal setting.

“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

A woman with shoulder-length light brown hair smiling at the camera in an indoor setting.

"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 man with curly dark hair, wearing a black leather jacket, resting his chin on his hand, looking at the camera.

“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

A young man in a black suit and striped red and white tie standing on stage after a performance, surrounded by an orchestra with several violinists, in a concert hall.

“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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Orchestra performing on stage, with musicians playing violins, viola, and piano.

“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.