Veronica “Vonnie” Kao is a composer from Boston, Massachusetts whose works foreground colors that spin out organically into poetic phrases. Her pieces have been likened to “flower[s] slowly blossoming.” Taking inspiration from a variety of contemporary musical styles, visual arts, and literature, her compositions can move freely between free timbral exploration, quasi-tonal lyricism, and punchy, energetic, and rustic styles. Her music has been performed internationally and throughout the United States. Veronica has a Platinum Prize and the Artistic Visionary Special Award from the Beethoven International Music Competition S1 2023 and was a finalist in the International Artists Competition. Her choral composition “Two-Headed Calf” was the winning composition of the U.S. Navy’s 2023 Alton Adams Award for Emerging Composers. She holds a B.A. from Williams College where she studied composition with Zachary Wadsworth and is currently pursuing graduate studies at the Boston Conservatory with Mischa Salkind-Pearl and Victoria Cheah. Veronica also remains an avid performer on flute and piccolo in various ensembles and is a passionate educator.

Boston Conservatory M.M. 2026 | Williams College B.A. 2023