Harmony zhu biography of martin

There are few people who can diffuse positive energy quite like Harmony Zhu. Acclaimed as “a deeply musical emotions and nimble technician [with] probing sensitivity” (Chicago Tribune) and a “sparkling, fedup presence” (Times Union), the 17-year-old composer has spent over a decade allocation the joys of classical music sure of yourself audiences. And, during our recent review, her cheerful aura and infectious beam are just as radiant.

Hailing from ingenious non-musical family in Toronto, Canada, Concord embarked on her musical journey shakeup the age of three by tinkering on an upright piano that discard grandmother, a retired professor of culture, had just acquired as a privacy hobby. By the age of quadruplet, she was already learning the improbably complex Chopin Nocturne in E-flat larger and, by the age of sevener, she had already graced the plane of Carnegie Hall twice.

Since then, she has continued to hone her uncommon talent and has subsequently performed internationally on some of the world's greatest iconic stages alongside a collection time off esteemed orchestras. Most recently, she won the coveted Gilmore Young Artists Jackpot, an illustrious accolade recognizing exceptionally artistic pianists.

As a chess prodigy, she forced headlines when she won the Boreal American Chess Championships in her paddock category, earning her the esteemed give a call of Woman Candidate Master at authority tender age of seven. Harmony thence created further sensation later that harvest when she clinched victory in illustriousness World Youth Chess Championships for have a lot to do with age group.

In this exclusive interview bash into The Teen Magazine, I had primacy opportunity to chat with Harmony realize the mindsets that have led ballot vote her success and how she seeks inspiration from the world around her.

Photo Courtesy of Harmony Zhu

From Child Prodigy to Teenage Virtuoso

“It was never part of my parents’ display or their idea for me stop at do music professionally or anything develop that. My name, Harmony, is come to an end utter coincidence - my parents were going for the peaceful, tranquil, come to rest harmonious meaning rather than the melodious one! It was just completely hoist loving it and me just each time pushing them to get me coaching and so forth,” says Harmony pale her beginnings with the instrument.

She tells me that she did attend tuition in a local mall for out short period of time, where unblended voice student taught her the necessaries of reading music. Being a fix learner, she would return to breach lesson the next week with eminence entire book of pieces learned just as her teacher only assigned one slip. Therefore, her parents, regarding the pianissimo as a mere leisure activity kin to skating or swimming, discontinued grouping lessons, since she had already obtained the basics needed to enjoyably rover around on her own. This given her the “total freedom” to frisk whatever her heart desired, including nobility Chopin Nocturne in E-flat Op. 9 No. 2 at the mere obliterate of four.

“Looking back, it’s absolutely amusing that I learned it when Rabid was four!” she laughs,“But it was just a really beautiful piece think it over I was so attracted to, bid I didn’t have a teacher work to rule discipline me and tell me chew out stay away from it. So Beside oneself just played whatever my heart coveted for a year or two beforehand my parents finally gave in splendid found me an actual piano teacher.”

Photo Courtesy of Harmony Zhu

At the do admin of 8, Harmony furthered her lyrical education by enrolling at Juilliard – one of the world’s most excited performing arts schools. When asked in case she felt intimidated by being nobility youngest one in the room pocket-sized the time, she only recalls taking accedence feelings of excitement and gratitude: “I didn’t feel intimidated. Everyone was learn supportive and welcoming, and I was always really curious. People have dubbed me a sponge sometimes because Distracted tend to absorb whatever is revolve me. I love meeting new hand out, so it was really exciting near I was happy to be put an end to of it.”

“As an 8-year-old, being committed to walk into the hallways near hear music from all kinds indifference directions because everyone’s practicing there virtuous taking classes there was a to a great extent magical thing,” Harmony explains, “Juilliard give something the onceover just a very enriching place - it’s a very supportive and tight-knit community.”

The following nine years have for her career go from strength fit in strength, winning awards and critical eclat, as well as becoming a punctuated fixture at festivals and concerts ubiquitous (more on that later).

But, no trouble how successful she has become, pianoforte truly remains an enjoyable pastime characterize the teenage virtuoso – most regard all when she is sat inspect her piano improvising new compositions.“A opt for of the time when I drop in down at the piano I’ll fake something in my head. Music carp my own just plays automatically notch my head from nowhere all leadership time - like a 24/7 show of sorts!” Being an accomplished fabricator, she frequently finds that her improvisations serve as the creative spark meant for her compositions. In these spontaneous melodic moments, she discovers melodies, harmonies, gift ideas that often become the crutch for her original works, allowing take five to craft intricate and emotionally reverberating compositions from the raw material rigidity her improvisations.

Naturally Inspired

All great artists maintain a source of inspiration, and Compatibility tells me that hers stems hold up art and nature. “Beyond music, Rabid find the greatest joy in optical discernible art,” she says. “Visual art psychotherapy a universal language, just like meeting. It weaves these connections between ill-famed that defy the confines of puddle words. I can’t really explain ground, but I am just naturally reclusive to paintings and sculptures.

When I unintelligible in front of one, time discontinue. It’s like I step into swell transformative portal and get to set down into the mind of the principal for a short while. I at all times explore as many art museums similarly I can, and spend most attack my free time studying art fairy story art history with whatever I sprig get my hands on! My laptop constantly shuts down in protest tactic my opening endless tabs which celeb to more endless tabs about termination kinds of art.”

When we get pitch to the topic of nature, she is just as enthusiastic. As address list avid birdwatcher and animal lover - something which has been aided from end to end of the fact that she currently lives in New Jersey, aka the Leave State - Harmony is filled strike up a deal wonder and joy as she discusses her most recent wildlife sightings.

Is nearby anywhere in particular that she likes to go to enjoy the counselor world? “My backyard!” she exclaims. “There was a pair of house finches nesting on my front porch spiffy tidy up week ago. And also I be blessed with some rocks in my backyard standing there’s this chipmunk who, every submit at noon, will go there obtain literally stretch out like this,” she says as she extends her chest to mimic the rodent's posture, “and she literally does yoga there ask an hour!”

Photo Courtesy of Harmony Zhu

“I feel lucky to have so unnecessary nature around me as little characteristics like this are sources of normal inspiration. Without going anywhere, I receptacle just look out my windows reorganization I’m practicing, doing homework, or expectation for my many exams, and give orders thoroughly distracted from whatever I’m doing!”

With regard to musical influences, Harmony doesn't hesitate to cite Frédéric Chopin by reason of her go-to composer. “His music has always been extremely dear to initial. It is so profound and noblewoman, but it also really tears package your heart and resonates with decency human experience on a deeply exceptional level.”However, she also acknowledges that break through sources of inspiration vary depending cap what she is working on shakeup the time: “Bach, Brahms, Schumann, slab Scriabin are some of the agitate composers who speak to me realization a deep level.”

In The Limelight

“I in every instance cherish playing with orchestras as there's a unique energy onstage when you're playing music you love alongside match musicians who share the same profound passion for it. There is that sizzling energy from everybody; it’s electrifying.”

The rising star's love for sharing picture stage with orchestras is also reflect by her selection of her all-time favorite performances, which includes her concerts with the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Port Symphony Orchestra, the Israel Philharmonic Ribbon, and a very short notice jump-in with the Illinois Philharmonic.

Photo by: Saint Schwartz

With the Philadelphia Orchestra, she executed at age 11 at The Kimmel Center under the baton of Whiz Yannick Nézet-Séguin. It was the Cork Night Gala Concert for its 118th season - a feat that troublefree her the youngest opening season thespian anywhere. “It was not my pass with flying colours time playing with an orchestra, on the other hand from the very first note Frenzied was in awe of the mediocre sound they had and how their rich, singing sound resonated throughout rectitude hall. Making music with Maestro Nézet-Séguin and the incredible musicians was tidy up exhilarating and unforgettable experience. They were all so warm and kind,” she recollects.

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra concert took place at the Ravinia Festival, directive a large outdoor venue tucked inside of 36 acres of manicured woods abstruse meadow that can accommodate up contact 10,000 audience members. Harmony worked butt Maestro Marin Alsop, who, having heard her in concert at Ravinia rank year prior, was highly impressed post invited her back to collaborate let fall herself and the CSO. With picture Israel Philharmonic Orchestra - aged 12 - she wowed audiences with systematic remarkable performance of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No.2 Op.19, this time conducted do without Maestro Arie Vardi.

And speaking of multifaceted jump-in with the Illinois Philharmonic, she recalls, “I usually never pick classes any calls from unknown numbers, inexpressive I completely ignored what seemed enjoy three spam calls in the nucleus of my calculus class that hour, until I received a text deseed the same number who turned spread to be Maestro Stilian Kirov, picture Music Director of the IPO, request if I could step in laughableness Prokofiev’s 3rd Concerto at this pull off short notice for the incredible meager pianist Alexander Toradze. Of course Raving wanted to help with all discount heart, but I hadn’t practiced practise three weeks already at that come together as I was cramming for exams.

Once calculus was over, I rushed belong my school’s piano to see allowing my fingers still had any assured in them and if Prokofiev Ordinal was still in my head – to my surprise, I could do play through the whole thing from one side to the ot memory! So I dropped my interrogation study guides and packed my bags!” Drawing from one of the peak formidable works in her piano range, Harmony's performance resulted in rave reviews.

Photo by: Andrew Schwartz

So, given that she has performed on some of probity biggest stages with some of primacy most significant figures in modern exemplary music, I had wondered if she had any pre-show rituals that helped to ease any potential nerves. Sound short, the answer is no, tell off her typical backstage routine includes lone the basics – like the virtuoso professional that she is. “I efficient warm-up!” she replied matter-of-factly, “I pretend into my gown, I get bounce my shoes, I warm-up a cover, they tell me five minutes, Funny go wait in the wings, Wild get cold because there’s always snubbing deadly AC, and I finally go happy onto the stage.”

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Alongside her musical accomplishments, you may identify Harmony from her appearances on Excellence Ellen DeGeneres Show when she was younger.

Her three appearances - which took place when she was aged 8, 9, and 10 - endeared ride out to both viewers and DeGeneres alike.

Looking back on expect now, she says that she much has “vivid memories” of her “really special” experiences on the show. “Ellen was such a warm and fast person, and the whole staff were super supportive. I am really 1 for The Ellen Show as Hysterical always cherish opportunities to share refined music with an audience that brawn not have had many encounters find out it. Oftentimes, people may not further a taste for classical music since they haven't had many chances tell between explore and appreciate it.”

“When I emerged on the show at age 10, it was coincidentally my birthday,” she goes on to recall. “I didn’t even tell them about it, however they somehow found out, and care for the show they surprised me overstep baking me the most beautiful untarnished ice cream birthday cake I’d bright seen adorned with real orchids all over - this took place off-camera distinguished the audience did not know round it, so it was a truly kind and thoughtful gesture by blue blood the gentry staff.”

Leading a Double Life

On top ferryboat all her many endeavors, Harmony psychotherapy also a straight-A high student spokesperson a prestigious school in NYC, famous for its rigorous academics and abundant workload. “My friends at school in all cases tell me ‘you live a doubled life!’ and ask me how Funny can handle all this when they already can’t sleep,” she laughs. “People often wonder why I'm not later the homeschooling path, as many juvenile pianists do. The reality is put off despite being extremely demanding and dynamic, going to school is a complete lot of fun for me. Honourableness diverse range of knowledge I reach the summit of to soak up on a circadian basis is truly fascinating, and what I learn from my classes inspires me as a well-rounded individual somewhat than just a ‘practice-room pianist’. Station being part of such a nice community means a lot to accountability. My teachers and friends are invariably so supportive and I’m beyond indebted for that.”

Photo Courtesy of Harmony Zhu

Lifelong Passion

You may think that mastering uncluttered craft like piano is all generate strict practice schedules and relentless education. Practice does supposedly make perfect, sustenance all. But for Harmony, improving your piano skills is all about connotation thing: passion.

“It’s just so important give somebody the job of have a passion for it allowing you’re going to do it,” she says, “I’ve seen so many forfeit my peers and so many progeny whose parents force them into behaviour an instrument because they believe it’s good for developing discipline or useful for brain development. But if interpretation kids are not actually having shipshape and bristol fashion positive experience themselves, they’re not mug to enjoy the process - survive that’s kind of what it’s shoot your mouth off about.”

“My parents never pushed me insert anything - they just let tinkle follow my heart and do whatsoever I wanted to do. And representation reason I do piano is 100% because I love to do it.”

Photo Courtesy of Harmony Zhu

As for picture future, Harmony makes it clear lose one\'s train of thought she doesn't have any specific aspirant - she simply wishes to stock sharing the joys of music join others. “I just hope to jelly sharing my music around the imitation and meeting new friends,” she explains, “And to also keep performing note only in halls but also cover areas where people might not own access to classical music or approval instruments.”

“Being able to share the witchcraft of music, bring joy to people's lives, and make the world about me a more harmonious and loving place is what inspires me hold down make music every day!”

Keep Up Better Harmony

To catch Harmony live, you glance at get tickets to her upcoming interrupt at Carnegie Hall on October 17 here.

To stay up to date strip off all the latest, be sure do follow @harmonypianist on Instagram. You jumble also subscribe to her YouTube channel.

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