Tanya Bannister
President

Praised by The Washington Post for her playing “with intelligence, poetry and proportion,” pianist Tanya Bannister is also a respected leader in the arts, bringing a rare combination of artistic excellence and entrepreneurial vision to her role as President of Concert Artists Guild (CAG).

A former CAG competition winner herself, Tanya leads the organization with a deep understanding of the evolving needs of young musicians. Since assuming leadership, she has transformed CAG’s artist support model—launching a rolling artist selection process, expanding career development programs, and establishing innovative initiatives such as the CAG Conductors Program and Citizen Musician Training. Her work has positioned CAG as a forward-thinking incubator for emerging classical artists, empowering them to build meaningful and sustainable careers.

Under her leadership, CAG has also formed a transatlantic partnership with the Young Classical Artists Trust (YCAT) in London, creating a dynamic international platform for career development and collaboration.

In addition to her work with CAG, Tanya is the Founder and Artistic Director of AlpenKammerMusik, a summer chamber music festival in the Austrian Alps known for its unique multigenerational approach to intensive musical study and collaboration. She is also the co-founder of Roadmaps Festival in New York, a socially engaged performance platform that addresses global crises through multidisciplinary programming.

An accomplished concert pianist, Tanya has performed in major venues worldwide, including Carnegie Hall, the Concertgebouw, Wigmore Hall, and the Kennedy Center. Her recordings span the Naxos, Albany, and CAG labels, and she has championed contemporary works alongside core classical repertoire throughout her career.

Born in Hong Kong to an English father and Japanese mother, Tanya studied at the Royal Academy of Music, Yale University, and Mannes School of Music, where she was mentored by Richard Goode.