Zuo <br>Jun — Classic Strings

Zuo Jun Singapore ← Back to list

Zuo <br>Jun — Classic Strings

Hailed as one of the most gifted Chinese violinists of his generation, Zuo Jun is currently holding a tenured associate professor and Head of Violin Studies at Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (YST), National University of Singapore. 

Critics have praised Zuo’s performances for his musicality and technical brilliance. In 1984, he performed for the First Lady the United States of America, Nancy Reagan during her visit to Shanghai, while he was also featured on Good Morning America (ABC) in 1990, interviewed live by NHK in 1987, and took part in live performances at the Public Broadcasting Station of Houston during the 2008 and 2010 seasons. In 1986, Zuo was invited by the former Defence Minister of Singapore to perform at the Victoria Concert Hall in a performance which was broadcast live on the Singapore National Television Channel. Zuo has also appeared as soloist with many symphony orchestras, such as the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, New Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, Shanghai Symphony, Shanghai Philharmonic, Macau Symphony, Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra, Xiamen Philharmonic, Hangzhou Philharmonic, and the Sichuan Symphony Orchestra, among others.

Zuo has been a tenured violinist of a number of world-class symphony orchestras, including the Houston Symphony Orchestra and San Francisco Symphony, for more than 11 years. He has been a prize-winner in national and international competitions, winning the silver medal at the National Violin Competition of China in 1984, as well as the special prize for the best performance of Chinese work, and the first prize at the National Violin Competition at Shanghai in 1986. He was also a prize-winner at the Kingsville International Music Competition in 1990, and was awarded first prize at the American Music Teachers’ Association Competition in 1989, and the Corpus Christi Young Artists Competition in 1989. 

His recently released CD, entitled The Inspiration, features works by seminal artists including Sarasate, Wieniawski, Ravel and Tchaikovsky.

Zuo was born to a musical family, starting to study the violin with his father when he was just six years old. He entered the Shanghai Conservatory of Music at the age of 12 in 1978, where he studied with Shen Guan-En and Zheng Zhi-shen. In 1988, Zuo Jun’s talent was noticed by Fredell Lack, and he went on to study with her at the University of Houston. Other teachers throughout his life have also included Berl Senofsky and Ariana Bronne.

Since joining the faculty at YST Conservatory more than sixteen years ago, Zuo’s students have gone on to successfully compete at national and international violin competitions in Italy, France, Singapore, China and the United States, in addition to passing through various professional Orchestra auditions in the United States, China and Singapore.

Zuo is a faculty member of the Texas Music Festival, the Schlern International Music Festival (Italy) and Saarburg International Music Festival (Germany). He also served as Chairman of the Singapore International Solo and Ensemble Competition for four years. Recently, Zuo established his own music festivals: the Yilan International Music Festival (Taiwan) and Qing Yuan and Guiyang International Music Festival (China).


← Michael Guttman | Boris Kuschnir →

Zuo <br>Jun — Classic Strings