American violinist Kevin Zhu has amassed an outstanding record of concert performances and competition wins since he began playing violin at age three. Praised for his “awesome technical command and maturity” (The Strad) and “absolute virtuosity, almost blinding in its incredible purity” (L’ape musicale), Kevin has performed on the world’s largest stages, ranging from Carnegie Hall in New York to London’s Royal Festival Hall to the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing. Initially coming to international attention after winning the 2018 Paganini Competition and 2012 Yehudi Menuhin Competition, he has established himself as a leading figure among the next generation of musicians, astonishing audiences with his peerless technical mastery and inimitable artistic voice.

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In the 2022-23 season, Kevin will make concerto debuts with the Des Moines Symphony and at the Auditorio Nacional in Madrid, and embarks on a project to record the 24 Paganini Caprices on Paganini’s famed violin ‘Il Cannone’, something never done before in history. He performs the complete Caprices in Italy, Singapore, and Germany, and makes his Merkin Hall recital debut with a program inspired by ballet and operatic masterpieces.

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Recent performing highlights include concerto appearances with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Moscow Virtuosi, and China Philharmonic Orchestra. A highly sought-after recitalist, he has toured across the United States and Europe with repertoire ranging from Beethoven to contemporary commissions. Kevin is also a passionate chamber musician, collaborating with artists such as Itzhak Perlman, Lawrence Power, and Jan Vogler.

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In addition to his efforts on stage, Kevin serves as a Culture Ambassador of the Lin Yao Ji Music Foundation of China. He has been featured on ABC Eyewitness News, BBC Radio 3, and RAI Radio 3, and is the recipient of a 2021 Avery Fisher Career Grant and Salon de Virtuosi Career Grant.

Kevin holds a Bachelor’s degree from The Juilliard School, where he studied with Itzhak Perlman and Li Lin. Kevin performs on the c1722 “Lord Wandsworth” Antonio Stradivari violin, which is on loan from the Ryuji Ueno Foundation and Rare Violins In Consortium, Artists and Benefactors Collaborative.

December 8, 2022

Montréal, Canada - Amphithéâtre Pierre-Péladeau (CHUM)

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Concert de Noël

Vivaldi: Four Seasons

with Marianne Dugal, Ana Drobac, Anaïs Saucier-Lafond, Ryan Truby, violins; Lambert Chen, viola; Denis Brott, cello; Luc Beauséjour, harpsichord

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DETAILS

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February 4 - 5, 2023

Des Moines, IA - Des Moines Civic Center

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Masterworks

Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35

with Des Moines Symphony

Joseph Giunta, conductor

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DETAILS

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February 13, 2023

New York, NY - The Kosciuszko Foundation

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Omega Ensemble Winter Gala

Works by Schubert and Brahms

with Sebastian Stöger, cello; Yannick Rafalimanana, piano

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DETAILS

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February 19, 2023

Singapore

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Paganini: 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1

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MUSINGS

A space for wandering thoughts - to be released on the first of every month!

Interpretive Impulse

November 2022

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For a while now I’ve been curious about national styles in the performing tradition. Musicians from different nations generally have distinct manners of playing music. How did musical interpretation in different countries become so varied? Part of the answer lies in the music itself. Language and history defined each country’s music, and the music influenced what the musicians valued. Performers also had access to a limited range of works before globalization and mass music publishing, meaning that they interacted less often with ‘foreign’ pieces. But as the world became more connected and a canon of standard works was defined, why did musicians continue to hear music so differently?

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Musicians today have the chance to explore many musical possibilities. Hearing recordings and embracing a vast repertoire is one thing - but we can also easily travel to find different training, learning new methods and experiencing other influences. Is there a way for musicians today to successfully bridge the gaps between wildly different interpretations without losing the strengths of those interpretations? Are we on the cusp of a generation which will bring together the best traits from all different perspectives to make music in a more complete way? Or are the differences necessary despite their flaws?

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