Eric Tsai attends the 2024 TSM Academy courtesy of the Kristen Collins Aiello & Frank Aiello Fellowship.

Hometown: Taipei, Taiwan

Eric Tsai is an up and coming Taiwanese-American violinist whose playing has been described as both “dashing” and “heart-wrenching” (NZ Herald), and whose thoughtful approach to old and new works alike has earned him a place on stages across the globe. The 2nd prize winner of the 2019 Michael Hill International Violin competition, Eric has garnered critical acclaim as a soloist and chamber player, as well as a champion of music from his home country of Taiwan. Simultaneously, he is a committed educator, passionate about raising up the next generation of young musicians, and works frequently with children from underserved communities and schools. 

Performing as a featured artist throughout the United States, Europe, Taiwan, and New Zealand, Eric is deeply committed to spreading hope and light to audiences around the world through his art. In 2021, at the height of the worldwide pandemic, his quartet partnered with Taiwan Connection’s education outreach program and has traveled to elementary schools situated in under-reached communities across the country. Other past community engagement projects include performances at homeless shelters, hospitals, and veteran homes across New York and Philadelphia.  

Eric’s previous teachers include Catherine Cho, Ida Kavafian, and Shmuel Ashkenasi, and he has also worked closely with renowned artists such as Pamela Frank, Peter Wiley, Joseph Lin, Ralph Kirshbaum, and Joseph Silverstein. Recent awards include the bronze medal at the 2021 Fischoff Competition with his piano trio, the prestigious 2022 Chimei Arts Award, and his quartet, the Quatuor Cael, being selected as an Honors ensemble at Juilliard for the 2022-23 season. Eric received his B.M. from the Curtis Institute of Music and his M.M. from the Juilliard School, and is currently a doctoral candidate at StonyBrook University.