Yuan Gao started studying at the Central University of Nationalities College of Music in Beijing at the age of 13. He won the First Prize at The Second National Clarinet Competition of China when he was 16. After one year, he was also the top prizewinner at Jeunesses Musicales International Music Competition in Romania.

He is currently a member of Trio Diamante (clarinet, violin and piano), which was recently one of only twelve groups in the country invited to the Quarterfinal round of the National Fischoff Chamber Music Competition in the Senior Division String category. Last year, Trio Diamante won First Prize at the International Chamber Music Ensemble Competition (sponsored by the Chamber Music Foundation of New England) and performed at Carnegie Hall.

In 2003, he studied in Vienna, Belgium and Paris with Peter Schmidl (Principal Clarinetist of the Vienna Philharmonic), Eddy Vanoosthuyse (Principal Clarinetist of the Flemish National Radio Orchestra) at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Gent, and Michel Lethiec (Professor at the Paris Conservatory).

Since coming to the USA, he has played Principal Clarinet in the Newton Symphony Orchestra and performed in Lincoln Center (Avery Fisher Hall). He has also played with the Brockton Symphony Orchestra and in the Youth Philharmonic Orchestra at NEC under Benjamin Zander.

From 1998 to 2003, he was the Principal and E-flat clarinetist of the Clarinet Quartet of Nationalities. Each summer, he has been featured at the International Clarinet Festival of China in both solo and quartet performances. At the age of 17, he played Concerto No. 2 by Carl Maria von Weber with the China Philharmonic of Nationalities in the National Theater of China and the National Library Concert Hall of China in Beijing and was broadcasted by CCTV (China Central Television). After that, he played the Assistant Principal clarinet in Der GardeMusik Wien and performed at Wiener Konzert Haus in Vienna. After moving to Belgium, he joined the International Clarinet Choir.

In 2005, he came to the USA to study with Jonathan Cohler (Soloist, Conductor and Recording Artist) at the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, MA. Recently, he was accepted into the prestigious and exclusive Artist Diploma degree at Longy.

In 2007, he won the first prize at the competition of The Harold Wright Clarinet Merit Award sponsored by the Boston Woodwind Society.

Yuan Gao is artist of Rossi Clarinet, Co-Principal Clarinet of Massachusetts Philharmonic Orchestra. Also, he is the dealer of Rossi Clarinet of China.