Violist Danny Lai was appointed to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 2014 by Riccardo Muti. He began his musical studies on the piano at age six and started the viola in the Iowa City public school system when he was ten. At age sixteen, after performing the first movement of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, he decided to pursue his dream of becoming a professional violist. He studied at Northwestern University with Roland Vamos while taking orchestral repertoire classes with former CSO principal violist Charles Pikler. After graduating with degrees in both economics and music, Lai joined the viola section of the Colorado Symphony.
In Chicago, Lai is a frequent chamber music collaborator, playing with groups such as Civitas, the Chicago Chamber Musicians, Chicago Pro Musica and his colleagues in the CSO. He also enjoys passing on knowledge to the next generation, giving masterclasses, teaching private lessons and working with the Civic Orchestra.
Lai has made recital appearances at the Kennedy Center in Washington (D.C.). He is an alumnus of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and the YouTube Symphony Orchestra in Sydney, Australia. He is also a prize winner in major competitions, including the Stulberg Competition, Jefferson Symphony International Young Artists Competition, Thaviu String Competition and Luminarts Union League Strings Competition.
Danny Lai plays on a contemporary viola made by Franz Kinberg.
