Yao XiaoYun began her piano studies at the age of 5 under Professor Yang YunLin and Zhao XiaoSheng in Shanghai Music Conservatory. In 1995, at age 13, she recorded her first album, 8 Works for Piano by Chinese composer Chen Ming Zhi.

In 1999, Yao XiaoYun was offered a full scholarship from Singapore's Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts to study under Professor Yu Chun Yee. She was a regular performer at various concerts, including a successful collaboration with the Tang quartet. In 2002, she won the Best Accompanist Award in the young Singer of the Year Competition, and also provided piano accompaniment for Carmina Burana, a large-scale production by the Singapore Dance Theatre.

In 2003, as NAFA's top graduate, she was awarded an honors degree by the University of Wales. Her performance at the NAFA 65th Anniversary Concert received high acclaim, and with that, was selected for the Masterclass at Fou Ts'ong and Vladimir Ashkenazy.

Yao XiaoYun's numerous awards include wining the Third Prize in the 1st ASEAN International Chopin Piano Competition in Malaysia (2004), the First Prize in the 24th New Acropolis International Piano Competition in Madrid and the First Prize at the Singapore National Piano Competition (Open Category, 2005). In 2007, she won the five-star award of Shanghai Tongzhou Mingpian Festival.

XiaoYun was also invited for solo recitals at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Oriental Piano Music School, Shanghai Art Theatre, and the Shanghai University Arts Center. She was also part of a Trio with the musicians of Singapore symphony orchestra. In 2008, she held piano recitals at the Esplanade Recital studio and NAFA Theatre respectively. In 2009, she was invited to perform with Shandong (China) Symphony Orchestra in April, played recitals in Singapore Piano Festival and was also invited for piano concerto "Shi Main Mai Fu" concert with Singapore Chinese Orchestra.

Xiao Yun has held recitals at Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Oriental Piano Music School, Shanghai Art Theatre, Shanghai University Arts Center, Esplanade Recital Studio, Lee Foundation Theatre, and Singapore Conference Hall.