Meet The Ann Arbor Symphony's 2019 Young Artist

CANTON, MI — The Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra has announced musician Shuheng Zhang of Canton as the winner of its 2019 Young Artist Competition.

Twelve finalists competed on Saturday at Eastern Michigan University for the chance to perform with the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra in November. Zhang will perform the first movement of Sergei Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 on Nov. 13, 2019 in the University of Michigan’s Hill Auditorium as a part of the orchestra’s Music in the Middle concert for middle school students from across the region.

Zhang has performed on stages throughout the U.S. and Europe, including recitals at Poland National Theater (Warsaw, Lang Lang Foundation Allianz Junior Music Camp, 2016), the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center (Salt Lake City, UT, Gina Bachauer International Piano Festival, 2017), the Penderecki European Center of Music (Lusławice, Poland, 6th Emanacja International Music Festival, 2018), and the Hochschule für Musik (Freiburg, Germany, Emil Gilels International Piano Festival, 2018). This March, he was invited by the Leeds International Piano Festival to give series concerts at venues including Leeds Town Hall and London Symphony Orchestra St. Luke’s and was praised by enthusiastic audiences for his sensitivity, interpretation, and musicianship.

Zhang is a Young Scholar of The Lang Lang International Foundation and joined the Young Scholar Program which is aimed to identify and offer mentorship, tutelage, and unique opportunities for performance to a limited number of exceptionally talented young pianists from around the world.

Chicago Music report lauded his performance of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23 with Midwest Young Artists Orchestra as “invigorating, incisive, and note-perfect account”, establishing an agreeable rapport with the conductor as they exchanged pleasantries in the composer’s conversational rondo.” He has won top prizes in many competitions such as the Thousand Islands International Competition, David Dubois Piano Competition, Lee University International Piano Competition and MTNA.

He has been featured as a soloist and performed concerti with orchestras from Chicago to Saarlouis, Germany.

Shuheng studies piano With Dr. Logan Skelton of the University of Michigan.