American violinist Kevin Zhu gained worldwide attention at age 11, taking 1st Prize at the 2012 Menuhin Competition, and six years later, 1st Prize at the Paganini Competition in Italy. His career has since taken him to renowned concert halls across the globe, ranging from the Konzerthaus Berlin and London’s Royal Festival Hall to the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing, the Esplanade in Singapore, and Bozar Brussels.

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A recipient of the 2021 Avery Fisher Career Grant, Kevin is praised for both “infinite delicacy” and “wild intensity” (RTBF Belgium), his playing acclaimed for “absolute virtuosity, almost blinding in its incredible purity” (L’ape musicale) and also “soul, character, an inner life, with meticulousness and a great deal of sensitivity” (Dresdner Neueste Nachrichten).

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The 2026/27 season includes performances with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic and Sinfonietta, and Prague Philharmonia, and recital appearances across North America, Europe, and Asia. Further highlights include recital appearances at Artis—Naples and Dresdner Musikfestspiele, and the world premiere of a new violin concerto by French composer Hugues Reiner.

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Kevin was featured on ABC Eyewitness News, BBC Radio 3, and RAI Radio 3. He is a Violin Channel Artist and serves as the Culture Ambassador of the Lin Yao Ji Music Foundation of China. He studied with Itzhak Perlman and Li Lin at The Juilliard School, where he holds a Bachelor’s degree.

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Kevin performs on the c1700 “ex-Petri” Antonio Stradivari violin, on loan from the Ryuji Ueno Foundation and Rare Violins In Consortium, Artists and Benefactors Collaborative.