KEVIN ZHU
KEVIN ZHU
VIOLINIST
BIOGRAPHY
American violinist Kevin Zhu is an artist in constant evolution. Searching for stories through sound, Kevin believes that music is a powerful catalyst for communication between past and present. Spontaneity, a sharp eye for detail, and peerless mastery of the instrument define his musicianship and embolden his unrelenting pursuit of new interpretation.
Kevin first came to international attention with early successes at the Yehudi Menuhin and Paganini Competitions. His young career has since taken him to renowned concert halls across the globe, ranging from the Konzerthaus Berlin to the Esplanade in Singapore, London’s Royal Festival Hall to the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing, and Bozar Brussels to The Kennedy Center. Favorite performing memories include concerts on Paganini’s famed violin ‘Il Cannone’, invitations to the Moritzburg Festival in Germany in consecutive years (including one edition where he was asked to step in on short notice—twice—in the span of a week), and a performance of Kreisler’s Liebesfreud for the pandemic-era Musical Storefronts series in New York City which moved children to dance upon hearing the music.
Contrast is an essential part of Kevin’s musical ethos. He has earned praise in varying repertoire for both “infinite delicacy” and “wild intensity, the audience crushed in their seats by the violence of what had happened” (RTBF Belgium). His playing is acclaimed for “absolute virtuosity, almost blinding in its incredible purity” (L’ape musicale) yet also “has soul, character, an inner life, with meticulousness and a great deal of sensitivity” (Dresdner Neueste Nachrichten).
Kevin studied with Itzhak Perlman and Li Lin at The Juilliard School, where he holds a Bachelor’s degree. Kevin performs on the c1700 “ex-Petri” Antonio Stradivari violin, on loan from the Ryuji Ueno Foundation and Rare Violins In Consortium, Artists and Benefactors Collaborative.
CONCERTS
July 18 - 27, 2025
Marvão, Portugal
Festival Internacional de Música de Marvão
July 18 - Castelo de Marvão
Schumann: Piano Quintet in E flat major, Op. 44
with Christoph Poppen, violin; Lilya Tymchyshyn, viola; Aurélien Pascal, cello; Pavel Kolesnikov, piano
July 19 - Castelo de Marvão
Tchaikovsky: Piano Trio in A minor, Op. 50
with Manuel Fischer-Dieskau, cello; Samson Tsoy, piano
July 20 - Igreja de São Tiago
Debussy: Violin Sonata in G minor, L. 140
with Tae-Hyung Kim, piano
July 23, 2 PM - Centro Cultural
Works by Massenet, Ravel, and Waxman
Recital with Marcelo Amaral, piano
July 23, 4 PM - Igreja de N. Sra. da Estrela
Franck: Piano Quintet in F minor
with Clara-Jumi Kang, violin; Adrien La Marca, viola; Aurélien Pascal, cello; Sunwook Kim, piano
July 25 - Igreja de São Tiago
Mozart: Flute Quartet No. 1 in D Major, K. 285
with Sónia Pais, flute; Francisco Lourenço, viola; Aurélien Pascal, cello
July 26 - Igreja de N. Sra. da Estrela
Schubert: Rondo in A major, D. 438
with Jordan Victoria, Christoph Poppen, violins; Adrien La Marca, viola; Aurélien Pascal, cello; Florian Poppen, bass
July 27, 4 PM - Igreja de São Tiago
Paganini: 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1
July 27, 7:30 PM - Castelo de Marvão
Works by Mendelssohn and Massenet
with Quatuor Arod; Christoph Poppen, violin; Adrien La Marca, viola; Aurélien Pascal, cello; Marcelo Amaral, piano
DETAILS
August 3 - 7, 2025
Bridgehampton, NY - Bridgehampton Presbyterian Church
August 3
Schubert: Notturno for Piano Trio in E flat major, D 897
Mozart: Clarinet Quintet in A major, K. 581
with Tommaso Lonquich, clarinet; Stella Chen, violin; Matthew Lipman, viola; Carter Brey, cello; Michael Stephen Brown, piano
August 7
Works by J.S. Bach, Telemann, and C.P.E. Bach
with Marya Martin, flute; David McCarroll, Kate Arndt, violins; Cong Wu, viola; Carter Brey, cello; Nina Bernat, bass; Kenneth Weiss, harpsichord
August 12 - 24, 2025
Moritzburg, Germany
Moritzburg Festival
Repertoire TBA
VIDEOS
GALLERY
CONTACT
GENERAL MANAGEMENT
Sheldon Artists
Jonathan Wintringham
jonwintringham@sheldonartists.com
SPAIN AND PORTUGAL
Diamond Artists
Pablo Vidal Vazquez
Luisa Martinez
management@diamond-artists.com
CHINA (EXCL. HONG KONG, MACAU)
美杰音乐 (Major Performing Arts Group)
刘益生 / Eason Liu
To contact Kevin directly, please use the form below.
Photo credits
Giusi Lorelli:
Andrea Ranzi:
Aurora Ghigino
Oliver Killig