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Zhang Zuo (pianist)

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In this Chinese name, the family name is Zuo.
Zee Zee
左章
Born
Zhang Zuo

(1988-10-10) 10 October 1988 (age 36)
Shenzhen, China
Alma mater
OccupationPianist
Years active1998–present
Musical career
GenresClassical
InstrumentPiano
LabelsDecca Records
Websitewww.zeezee-piano.com

Zhang Zuo (Chinese: 左章; pinyin: Zuǒ Zhāng; born 10 October 1988), also known professionally as Zee Zee, is a Chinese-American pianist. She, who has won first prize awards at the 1st International Piano Competition in China, the Gina Bachauer International Artists Piano Competition in the United States, the Krainev International Piano Competition in Ukraine, and the Juilliard School's 32nd annual William Petschek Piano Recital Award.[1]

Early life

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Zee Zee started her musical training at the age of five in Berlin.[2] She enrolled later at the Shenzhen Arts School at the age of seven, and began studying with Dan Zhaoyi, a Chinese piano educator and professor.[3] At the age of eight, she began winning competitions and gave her first concerto performance.[4] It was then she performed the Haydn's Piano Concerto No. 11 in D major with the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra. At the age of ten, she gave her first solo concert in Shenzhen and became a representative of the Chinese piano community.[5]

After completing her piano studies with Dan at the Shenzhen Arts School [zh],[6] Zuo was invited to continue her artistic development in 2006 in the United States, where she attended the University of Rochester's Eastman School of Music under the mentorship of Nelita True for her bachelor's degree.[7] Later, she completed her master's degree at the Juilliard School, where she studied with Robert McDonald and Yoheved Kaplinsky.[8] In 2014, Zuo was selected to join BBC's flagship New Generation Artist (NGA) program in the UK for two seasons.[9] She has also performed with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra under Paavo Järvi in Mendelssohn's first piano concerto,[10] as well as at the Ravinia Festival. In the autumn of 2014, Zuo went on a recital tour through Italy with violinist Julian Rachlin and cellist Lynn Harrell.[11]

Zee Zee is a founding member of the Z.E.N. Trio, alongside violinist Esther Yoo and cellist Narek Hakhnazaryan.[12][13] The Z.E.N. Trio has recorded commercially for Deutsche Grammophon.[14] Zee Zee is the founder and the artistic director of the Z+ international music festival, which takes place annually in the spring in Shanghai.

Personal life

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Zee Zee and her family live in Berlin.[15] She gave birth to her first child, a daughter, in Hong Kong in 2020.[15][16]

References

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  1. ^ "Pianist Zhang Zuo is Winner of Juilliard's William Petschek Piano Recital Award and Makes Her Alice Tully Hall Debut on Thursday, May 9 at 8 PM | The Juilliard School". www.juilliard.edu. Retrieved 2015-12-18.
  2. ^ "Zhang Zuo – Songs, Playlists, Videos and Tours". BBC Music. Retrieved 2015-12-18.
  3. ^ Chen Nan (2015-05-11). "A Chinese pianist can tell her good shows from bad". China Daily USA. Retrieved 2015-12-18.
  4. ^ Yassmeen Abdulhamid (May–August 2013). "Meet Zhang Zuo, Petschek Recitalist". The Juilliard Journal. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
  5. ^ "2015 BNP Paribas Rising Stars Piano Festival unleashes young Chinese pianists' talents – BNP Paribas China". www.bnpparibas.com.cn. Retrieved 2015-12-18.
  6. ^ Puntid Tantivangphaisal (June 2022). "In conversation with Pianist Zuo Zhang (Zee Zee)". Vantage Music. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
  7. ^ "BBC – Music – Zhang Zuo". Archived from the original on 2014-10-14.
  8. ^ "Meet Zhang Zuo, Petschek Recitalist". www.juilliard.edu. Retrieved 2015-12-18.
  9. ^ "Columbia Artists Management Inc. — Zhang Zuo". www.cami.com. Retrieved 2015-12-18.
  10. ^ "Review: Paavo, CSO shine again". Cincinnati.com. Retrieved 2015-12-18.
  11. ^ "Belgischer Rundfunk".
  12. ^ Catriona Barr (2019-10-21). "The Z.E.N. Trio Makes an Auspicious Debut at Herbst". San Francisco Classical Voice. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
  13. ^ Stephanie Eslake (2022-08-01). "Z.E.N. Trio: "Chamber music is a time for us to put our own egos aside"". Cut Common. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
  14. ^ Michael Cookson (May 2021). "Review: Burning through the Cold". MusicWeb International. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
  15. ^ a b Jack Lau (2021-05-01). "Pianist Zee Zee on how becoming a mum changes her playing, and the things she sacrificed growing up a prodigy". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 1 May 2021. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
  16. ^ Chen Nan (12 February 2022). "Pianist's travels take her on classical journey". China Daily. Archived from the original on 13 February 2022.
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