Dong Chao was a finalist of the 58th edition of the Besançon International Young Conductors Competition and received a Special Mention Award. Dong Chao's conducting journey began in 2013 at the Conducting Department of the Affiliated Middle School of Shanghai Conservatory of Music. Dong Chao has collaborated with some of the prestigious symphony orchestras in China. He has been selected for the National Young Conductor Training Programme, and for two consecutive years, he was chosen to participate in the "Talented Conductors" training program at Shanghai Conservatory of Music. He has served as an assistant conductor and chorus conductor for various opera productions. Dong Chao has attended masterclasses and received guidance from acclaimed masters such as John Nelson, Jorma Panula, Mark Gibson, Varelio Paperi, Ulrich Windfuhr, Yu Feng, Lin Daye, Yang Yang and others. He has been invited to participate in the International Conducting Competition Jeunesses Musicales Bucharest, the Opéra de Nice Conducting Competition and the Antal Doráti International Conducting Competition in Hungary.