A passionate and versatile artist with an unceasing curiosity for music from the 18th century to today, Ariel Mo brings “an exceptional courage to confront the unknown, and unborn ideas and sounds” (composer Dongryul Lee) to every performance. Besides her commitment to classic piano literature, Ariel also pursues a number of independent creative projects in turn as soloist, collaborator, or curator. In fall 2024, Ariel will present a four-day festival at Cornell University commemorating the 150th anniversary of Charles Ives. Other projects this year include a new solo piano work by Dongryul Lee; a residency at Avaloch Farms with violinist KJ Macdonald; and Echoes of Change, a multimedia concert by Badie Khaleghian in support of Iran’s Women-Life-Freedom Movement.
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Ariel has performed in venues such as Symphony Hall, Jordan Hall, Residenz Munich, Chan Shun Concert Hall, and the Cutler Majestic Theatre, as well as The Lilypad, An Die Musik, and Spectrum NYC. In 2018, Ariel performed Messiaen's Turangalîla-Symphonie with Hugh Wolff and the NEC Philharmonia. She also appeared alongside Grammy-winning ensemble Roomful of Teeth in the 2019 Robert Mapplethorpe tribute, Triptych, and was a soloist with the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra in 2014. She has been a fellow at Ensemble Modern’s inaugural Hans Zender Akademie, Norfolk New Music, Holland International Music Sessions, Bang On A Can, New Music On the Point, Gijon Piano Festival, New Paltz PianoSummer, and Orford Musique, among others; had the privilege of working with many composers, including Kaija Saariaho, Chaya Czernowin, and Amy Beth Kirsten; and with various ensembles such as Boston New Music Initiative, John Heiss’ NEC Contemporary Ensemble, Callithumpian Consort, ALEA III, and Mudita America.
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In May 2023, Ariel created WATERx, a 90-minute concert and art installation examining our irrevocable relationship with water through a dual-lens of psychology and ecology. The event was generously supported by the Robert Turnbull Piano Foundation and NEC Entrepreneurial Musicianship and featured five brand new works for small chamber ensembles, drawing on a variety of styles in contemporary music, next to an exhibition of digital and mixed-media artwork by Haran Kim.
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Ariel holds G.D., M.M., and B.M. degrees from New England Conservatory, where she majored in piano performance and music history as an undergraduate. She is infinitely grateful to her past mentors, pianists Alessio Bax, Pavel Nersessian, Stephen Drury, Bruce Brubaker, Victor Rosenbaum, Kenneth Broadway and Ralph Markham, and musicologist Dr. Ellen Exner. In fall 2024, Ariel will begin D.M.A. studies in Keyboard Performance at Cornell University.