Eddie Zhou, 17, piano

Today we hear from pianist Eddie Zhou of Schaumburg, a high school senior and a student of Brenda Huang. He plays pieces by Bach, Beethoven, Scriabin, and Vine. Eddie Zhou, 17, started studying piano at four years old. Beginning his formal studies under Jon Ensminger, Eddie debuted as a soloist at eight years old playing Kabalevsky’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula under the direction of Joel Neves. In the following summers, Eddie won second place in the 2018 Duluth-Superior Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition in Minnesota and fourth place in the 2019 Chopin Youth Piano Competition in Milwaukee. Around this time, Eddie also picked up the violin and joined the Keweenaw Youth Symphony Orchestra. Upon moving to Illinois, Eddie began studying under Brenda Huang, and he had the wonderful opportunity to perform Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with the Fox Valley Orchestra and placed as the winner of the 2024 Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Illinois State Piano Competition. Under Brenda Huang’s instruction, Eddie has also expanded his excitement towards modern and contemporary classical music and towards piano performance. In addition to piano, Eddie continues to play the violin in the William Fremd High School Symphony Orchestra. Outside music, Eddie enjoys competitive math and spending time in nature.

Om Podcasten

Introductions is WFMT’s weekly Saturday morning program that features talented pre-college classical musicians in the Chicago area. Soloists and chamber ensembles perform live in WFMT’s Levin Performance Studio. Large ensembles, including orchestras, choirs, and bands, are recorded at their home venues and broadcast at later dates. The program also features youth music competition winners. While many students who appear on Introductions pursue other careers, some have gone on to study music at some of the most prestigious music schools around the world and pursue careers as professional musicians.