Zhang Haochen Piano Recital at Shanghai Grand Theatre - Lyric Theatre

1.SCARLATTI

Sonata in E Major, K.380 /L.23

Sonata in C Major, K.159/ L.104

2. CHOPIN Mazurka

Op.17 No.4

Op 24 No.2

Op.59 No.2

Op.59 No.3

3. Beethoven Sonata

Op.57 "Appassionata"

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1. LISZT Ballades No.2

2. DEBUSSY Preludes Book 1

No.6 ,No.4 ,No.5 ,No.10

3. BALAKIREV Islamey Op.18

Introduction:

Pianist Haochen Zhang was born in June, 1990, in Shanghai. He showed an extraordinary talent in music from childhood. When he was three and half years old, he began to study the piano.

In 1996, at the age of five, Haochen Zhang successfully made his debut at the Shanghai Concert Hall , under the financial support of BaoSteel Classical Arts Encouragement Foundation. His recital consisted of difficult works such as the complete Bach Two Part Inventions, Mozart Sonata K.545 and Haydn Sonata Hob.XVI/356. He gained high praise from critics and left a remarkable impression on his audience.

In 1997, at the age of six he successfully performed Mozart Piano Concerto K.467 with Shanghai Symphony Orchestra,.

In 1997 and 1999, he twice took first prize in the Shanghai Piano Competition .

In October 2002, at the age of twelve, he participated in his first international piano competition, The Fourth International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians and became the youngest champion in the history of this prestigious competition.

In March 2005, at the age of fourteen, he won an unanimous approval from all six faculty members during his audition at Curtis Institute of Music among 115 international contestants and became a pupil of famous pianist and former director of Curtis, Mr. Gary Graffman, and has studied based on a full-tuition scholarship since then.

In March, 2006, at the age of fifteen, he became a winner of the 2006 Albert M.Greenfield Student Competition, organized by the Philadelphia Orchestra. An additional special prize was awarded to him for his remarkable interpretation of Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto.

In October 2007, at age 17, He participated as one of the youngest competitors in The Fourth China International Piano Competition and became the youngest champion in the history of this competition.

In June 2009, at age of 19, he won the Gold Medal in the Thirteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, becoming one of the youngest, one of the first Asians, and the first Chinese Gold Medalist in the history of this competition.

“Haochen played extremely beautifully. He has all reasons to be proud of himself. He is the real champion. He is a major talent in the world ” ---Menahem Pressler , famous pianist and Juror of the Cliburn International Piano Competition.

“He is talented beyond his years. That is astonishing, that a person of 19 is telling me things I didn’t know about pieces I knew my whole life. He’s amazing.”—Richard Dyer, the juror and the famous and distinguished classical music critic in U.S.A., From The Fort Worth Star Telegram, June 8, 2009.

“Zhang impressed with depth of musical understanding and subtle expressive nuance...he radiates a kind of Zen calm...at the competition's end, he was the musician I'd walk across town to hear.”- Scott Cantrell, THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, June 2009

After the Cliburn competition, Haochen Zhang embarked on a worldwide tour during the current season. Engagements included Aspen Music Festival, Beijing Music Festival ,the Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert Series, WolfTrap Discovery Series, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Hannover Prize Winners Series ,Gilmore Rising Stars and recitals in Krakow and Lodz , Poland..He performed with San Francisco Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, Philadelphia Philharmonic Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic, London Philharmonic, Krakow Philharmonic among others. Everywhere he has performed, Zhang has received enthusiastic responses from audiences and universal praise from critics.

Zhang has rich imagination and expression. His colorful sound palette, perfect technique, thorough understanding of compositional structure, technique and stylistic characteristics make him one of the best young musicians of his generation. He is a pianist who is comfortable and interested in playing all styles of music, andintends to devote his life towards his beloved music.