Monique Chao is a Taiwanese-Italian jazz composer, pianist, vocalist, conductor, and educator, celebrated for her innovative contributions to contemporary jazz. Born in Taipei, Taiwan, she currently resides in Milan, Italy.
Her remarkable achievements in music have earned her nominations in several prestigious jazz magazine categories. Among her accolades are recognition as a “4.5-star Album” and “Best Album of 2024” by DownBeat Magazine in the United States, as well as honors such as “New Talent of the Year” “New Jazz Band of the Year” and “Album of the Year” by Musica Jazz Magazine in Italy. In 2023, she became the first foreign musician to represent the annual image of the Tuscany Lucca Jazz Donna Festival. Between 2015 and 2025, Monique has embodied the essence of an inspiring spirit. She is consistently passionate about creating and deeply admires the adventurous journey of exploring music. One article perfectly described her: “Monique Chao, a unstoppable musician who steadily moves forward and nothing could stop her.” (Oct, 2020, Nuove Radici, Italy)