Born in Hong Kong, Lora Chow is an award-winning composer and soprano graduated magna cum laude from Yale with a double major in Music and Economics. She later studied composition with Hollywood composers Patrick Kirst, Lawrence Shragge and Christopher Young. Lora has created numerous piano improvisations and composed a variety of orchestral, chamber, vocal and solo piano music. Her composition “Exsultate, Jubilate for Soprano and Orchestra” was premiered by the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil) in 2018 and won the Audience Award. Her orchestral pieces "Awakening for Soprano/Piano/Harp and Orchestra" and “Sympathy” were premiered by the HK Phil in 2024 and 2019 respectively, with her performing the solo voice, piano and harp parts. Her music has also been premiered by Orchestra della Toscana in Italy, Cascade Sinfonietta in the U.S., Sofia Sinfonietta in Bulgaria, Budapest Art Orchestra in Hungary, Fusicianz in Hong Kong, and many internationally acclaimed musicians.
Lora has won many awards, including the Chigiana Film Scoring Award for Best Storytelling, CASH Music Fund, Anita Hewitt-Jones Composition Prize and the Katie Lees Award for Musicianship. She co-founded Virtuoso Fiesta and the Yale Alumni Chamber Music Society of Hong Kong, and serves as the Vice-Chairwoman of SingFest. She is also a member of the Composers and Authors Society of HK and the Hong Kong Composers’ Guild.
Lora's music explores the relationship between the inner-self and the external world, and expresses feelings arising from her life journey. Her musical ideas often come directly from her unconscious mind. She is fascinated by how music can enhance wellbeing, and is known for the healing and soothing effect of her music. A multi-instrumentalist who has experience playing the violin, trumpet, harp, organ and piano in orchestra, band, chamber ensembles and solo performances, Lora is skilled at composing orchestral, chamber music and solo piano works. Her compositions are influenced by classical composers from the 17th to 19th century, from J.S. Bach to Rachmaninoff. Having lived in many countries, Hong Kong, Japan, the UK, Germany, Italy, and the US, Lora incorporates multi-cultural elements in her music. Much of her music are inspired by the nature and her travel experiences.