Biography

Award-winning Singaporean classical pianist Alyssa Kok graduated at 18 with her Bachelor of Arts degree in piano performance with full distinctions artistically and academically from the Mozarteum University of Salzburg, Austria, becoming one of its youngest graduates.  During her Bachelor studies, she studied with Gereon Kleiner, Rolf Plagge and Andreas Weber. At 20, she received her Master of Arts degree in piano performance with distinction in the class of Wojciech Świtała at the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice, Poland.

Alyssa Kok’s formal musical education began at 12 when she was selected from Singapore to study at the Leopold Mozart Institute for Highly Talented Students. At 14, she was admitted to Mozarteum’s Bachelor programme. At 14, she was also selected to study at the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music’s Młoda Muzyczna Akademia, a young talent programme for Polish students.  Prior to her European education, she was taught primarily by Benjamin Loh in Singapore, as well as by Roxana Tang and Monica Tong.

Alyssa Kok has won over 30 top prizes in international piano competitions. She most recently won 1st prize performing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58 at the Altalena Concerto Competition, Hungary 2023, Special Prize for the performance of the free programme in the Tournament of Foreign Pianists for the Prince Antoni Radziwiłł Prize, Poland 2023, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli prize in the Mauro Paolo International Piano Competition, Italy 2022, and 2nd prize in the VI International Chopin Piano Competition 2022 in Turzno, Poland, amongst others.

Alyssa Kok has performed in concert in Europe, North America, Israel, Asia and New Zealand. Most recently, she performed a sold-out all-Chopin solo recital for the Embassy of Poland in Singapore, titled Alyssa Kok Plays Chopin, at the Esplanade in Singapore. She also gave all-Chopin recitals in Italy and New Zealand. She performed eight concerts on tour in Canada in 2022 at venues including the Polaris Theatre in Calgary, and in the Mozart Tour in China in 2014 and 2016 at venues including the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra Concert Hall and Nanshan Cultural Centre. At 11, she was the youngest scholarship recipient of the Singapore International Foundation as cultural ambassador for Singapore for her debut solo recital, made at Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall. She has collaborated with orchestras such as the Toruń Symphony Orchestra, Salzburg Chamber Soloists, Sándor Végh Institute Chamber Orchestra, Shenzhen Symphony Festival Orchestra, Altalena Chamber Festival Orchestra and the Master Orchestra in Italy. She has worked with conductors including Sergio Baietta, Jakub Chrenowicz, Przemysław Fiugajski, Lavard Skou Larsen, Wolfgang Redik, Noah Max and Kang Yongze.

Alyssa Kok has been featured on the Salzburg ORF radio, Austria, the Alberta radio, Canada, La Tribuna newspaper, Treviso, Italy, BarlettaNews24, La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno and PugliaLive newspapers, Barletta, Italy, GioiaNet newspaper, Bari, Italy, Rhema Media, New Zealand, Polish television COMTV.pl, the Republic of Poland’s website, Lianhe Zaobao newspaper, Singapore, CNA938 radio station, Singapore and The Straits Times newspaper, Singapore.

Alyssa Kok is also a keen player of historical keyboard instruments. Since 2017, she has studied harpsichord, clavichord and fortepiano performance with Florian Birsak. She premiered her 15-minute long debut composition for the piano, Singapore Fantasy (2023), in recitals in Poland, Singapore and Italy. She has performed and initiated several sold-out charity recitals in Canada, Israel, Singapore and New Zealand, with tickets sold for up to $180 each. All proceeds went directly to the children and recipients of the charities. Alyssa Kok is fluent in English, German, Mandarin and Polish, and speaks some Italian.