Xiang-Dong Kong, born on October 22, 1968, in Shanghai, China, is a pianist and a notable descendant of Confucius, being the 75th in line. He gained early recognition as one of the young musicians featured in From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China. Kong's breakthrough came with his victory at the 1988 Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition, followed by winning the Sydney International Piano Competition in 1992. In September 1998, he released the album Piano Recital.