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Xian Zhang (conductor)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In this Chinese name, the family name is Zhang.

Xian Zhang (Chinese: 张弦; born 1973) is a Chinese-American conductor.

Biography

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Born in Dandong, Liaoning, China, to musician parents,[1] Zhang began to learn music as a child with her mother on a piano built by her father.[2][3] She continued her music studies at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing where she received her bachelor's and master's degrees.

Her first conducting appearance was at age 19 with the China National Opera Orchestra in a production of The Marriage of Figaro.[4]

Zhang moved to the United States in 1998.[5] She studied for her doctorate in music at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and for four years was the music director of the university's orchestra. In 2002, she shared the first prize of the first Maazel-Vilar Conductor's Competition. She was a cover conductor with the New York Philharmonic from 2002 to 2004. She became an assistant conductor with the New York Philharmonic in 2004, and her conducting debut with the orchestra was in a Young People's Concert that year.

In January 2005, she made her Philharmonic subscription debut on a program with Lorin Maazel.[6] Maazel subsequently appointed Zhang as the orchestra's associate conductor in 2005,[7] a post she held for several years.

Zhang served as the music director of the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra from 2005 to 2007.[8] In January 2008, she became the first woman to conduct the Staatskapelle Dresden in its principal hall.[9] In March 2009, the Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi announced the appointment of Zhang as its next music director, the first woman to be named music director of an Italian symphony orchestra, effective with the 2009–2010 season.[10][11] In December 2010, the Nederlandse Orkest- en Ensemble-Academie (NJO; Dutch Orchestra and Ensemble Academy) named Zhang its artistic leader, as of the summer of 2011.[12]

Zhang conducting the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra in 2024

Zhang first guest-conducted the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra in 2010, and returned for further guest appearances in February 2012 and May 2015.[13][14] In November 2015, the NJSO announced her appointment as its 14th music director, effective in September 2016, with an initial contract of 4 years.[15] She is the first female music director of the NJSO.[16] In March 2022, the NJSO announced the second extension of her contract, through the 2027–2028 season.[17] Zhang is scheduled to conclude her NJSO tenure at the close of the 2027-2028 season.[18]

In December 2015, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales (BBC NOW) announced her appointment as its next principal guest conductor, effective with the 2016–2017 season, with an initial contract of three years. She is the first female principal guest conductor with any BBC orchestra.[19] In this capacity with the BBC NOW, she was the first woman conductor to conduct the annual Prom, which includes the Symphony No. 9 of Beethoven, on July 30, 2017.[20] In 2019, Zhang was announced as Principal Guest Conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, beginning in 2020.[21]

Zhang first guest-conducted the Seattle Symphony in June 2008,[22] and returned as a guest conductor several times, including in 2020 and in 2021.[23] In September 2024, the Seattle Symphony announced the appointment of Zhang as its next music director, effective with the 2025-2026 season, with an initial contract of five years. She took the title of music director-designate with immediate effect. Zhang is the first female music director of the Seattle Symphony.[24]

References

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  1. ^ Michael Cooper (October 26, 2016). "New Jersey Symphony's New Director on Defining Her Own Sound". The New York Times. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  2. ^ Ralph Blumenthal (September 30, 2002). "And Then There Were Two; Prize Is Shared in Conductors' Competition". The New York Times. Retrieved April 14, 2009.
  3. ^ Vivien Schweitzer (February 3, 2008). "A Lengthy Journey, Nowhere Near Over". The New York Times. Retrieved April 14, 2009.
  4. ^ Tom Service (October 5, 2007). "The sounds of the future". The Guardian. Retrieved April 14, 2009.
  5. ^ Blair Tindall (January 14, 2005). "Call Me Madame Maestro". The New York Times. Retrieved September 28, 2009.
  6. ^ Allan Kozinn (January 13, 2005). "A Young Conductor Accepts an Eclectic Assignment". The New York Times. Retrieved April 14, 2009.
  7. ^ Anthony Tommasini (March 18, 2006). "Young Conductor Enters, Bringing an Infusion of Vitality". The New York Times. Retrieved April 14, 2009.
  8. ^ "Xian Zhang steps down as Symphony conductor". Sioux City Journal. May 11, 2007. Retrieved April 14, 2009.
  9. ^ Bradley Bambarger (July 3, 2008). "New York Philharmonic stages free concert in Holmdel". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved April 14, 2009.
  10. ^ "Xian Zhang: è donna il nuovo Direttore Musicale della Verdi" (Press release). Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi. March 31, 2009. Archived from the original on October 5, 2011. Retrieved April 13, 2009.
  11. ^ Charles Searson, "Italy appoints its first female principal conductor". Gramophone, April 6, 2009.
  12. ^ "Xian Zhang nieuwe artistiek leider" (Press release). Nederlandse Orkest- en Ensemble-Academie. December 14, 2010. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  13. ^ Ronni Reich (February 24, 2012). "'Inspiration' strikes: Xian Zhang to conduct New Jersey Symphony Orchestra for three Spanish-themed shows". Newark Star-Ledger. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
  14. ^ Ronni Reich (May 5, 2015). "Xian Zhang returns to the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra". Newark Star-Ledger. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
  15. ^ "New Jersey Symphony Orchestra announces Xian Zhang as its 14th music director" (Press release). New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. November 16, 2015. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
  16. ^ James C Taylor (November 16, 2015). "Brava, maestra: NJSO appoints its first female music director". Newark Star-Ledger. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
  17. ^ "New Jersey Symphony announces 2022–23 centennial season, extends Xian Zhang's music director contract through 2027–28" (Press release). New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. March 10, 2022. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
  18. ^ "Xian Zhang announces appointment to music director of Seattle Symphony while remaining music director of New Jersey Symphony" (Press release). New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. September 5, 2024. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  19. ^ "BBC National Orchestra & Chorus of Wales appoints Xian Zhang as Principal Guest Conductor" (Press release). BBC Media Centre. December 1, 2015. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
  20. ^ Barry Millington (July 31, 2017). "Proms 2017, review: BBCNOW / Zhang". Evening Standard. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
  21. ^ "Xian Zhang appointed Principal Guest Conductor of Melbourne Symphony from 2020 (Press Release)". August 7, 2019.
  22. ^ Ronald Blum (September 5, 2024). "Xian Zhang to become music director of Seattle Symphony starting with 2025-26 season". Associated Press. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  23. ^ Javier C. Hernández (September 5, 2024). "A Barrier-Breaking Conductor Will Lead the Seattle Symphony". The New York Times. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  24. ^ "Xian Zhang named music director of the Seattle Symphony" (Press release). Seattle Symphony. September 5, 2024. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
[edit]
Cultural offices
Preceded by
Stephen Rogers Radcliffe
 Music Director, Sioux City Symphony Orchestra
2005–2007 		Succeeded by
Ryan Haskins
Preceded by Music Director, Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi
2009–2016 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Artistic Director, Nederlandse Orkest- en Ensemble-Academie
2011–2015 		Succeeded by
Ewout van Dingstee (director and artistic manager) and Antony Hermus (artistic adviser)
Preceded by Music Director, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra
2016–present 		Succeeded by
incumbent
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