Ray Zhang

Country – Canada
Age – 13

Canadian pianist Ray Zhang began his early lessons in Vancouver with Mrs. Fafan Xiao, and he has been studying under the direction of Dr. Sasha Starcevich in Bellevue, Washington since September 2016. Ray has won numerous awards including the special young talent award in the 2018 Ettlingen International Piano Competition (Germany), multiple first prizes at the Canadian Music Competition, and he was a Gold Medalist at the Chopin Northwest International Competition. He also won second prize at the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition and a gold medal at the Northwest Piano Competition.

Ray made his orchestral debut in Perugia, Italy where he performed with the Alicante Symphony, and was invited back to perform with the orchestra the following year, playing at MusicFestPerugia. He has performed with both the Brunensis Virtuosi Orchestra (Czechia) and the Firenze Conservatory Orchestra (Italy). He has performed at Koerner Hall in Toronto, the Shanghai Oriental Art Center in China, and locally has participated in many fundraising concerts to support the Sarah McLachlan School of Music and the British Columbia Children’s hospital.

Ray performs regularly in senior centers in the Vancouver area. When he is not practicing, he enjoys traveling and playing basketball and soccer.

REPERTOIRE

ROUND I

Bach – Prelude and Fugue No. 6 in D minor, BWV 875, WTC II
Mozart – Sonata No. 9 in D major, K. 311, I. Allegro con spirito
Chopin – Nocturne in E major, Op. 62 No. 2
Chopin – Étude in A minor. Op. 25, No. 11, Winter Wind
Diemer – Toccata for Piano

ROUND II

Schubert – Impromptu in G-flat major, Op. 90, No. 3
Mozart – Sonata in D major K. 311, II. Andante con espressione, III. Rondeau allegro
Liszt – Hungarian Rhapsody in C-sharp minor, No. 12, S. 244

ROUND III

Beethoven – Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37