¡£¡£As one of most internationally renowned Chinese pianists and conductors, Xu Zhong is the founding member and Artistic Director of the China Shanghai International Piano Competition, the Executive Artistic Director of Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra and Music Director of Shanghai Sinfonietta. He has enjoyed successful collaborations with many of the most world-renowned musicians, including Philippe Entremont, Sergiu Commissiona, Paul Badura-Skoda, Arie Vardi, Vladimir Krainev, Lazar Berman, Michel Dalberto, Arto Noras, G¨¦rard Poulet and Pavel Kogan.
....Xu Zhong was born into a family of medical researchers in Shanghai. His early childhood music education from Prof. Wang Yu of Shanghai Conservatory of Music prepared him for the rigorous formal music education he was to receive in the class of Dominique Merlet at Conservatoire National Sup¨¦rieur de Musique de Paris.
....Xu Zhong won numerous prestigious international competitions since 1988, including the 1st Hamamatsu International Piano Competition, the Santander Paloma O'Shea International Piano Competition, the 5th Tokyo International Piano Competition and the 10th Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition in Moscow.
....Since then, besides being the regular guest of Chinese orchestras and presenters, both as a pianist and conductor, he has taken up a concert career spanning Europe, North America, South America and South-East Asia. ¡°La Folle Journ¨¦e de Nantes au Japon¡± held in May 2006 reviewed him as top artistic pianist bursting on to the world stage. He represents the future of Asia. He has worked with Orchestre de Paris, Orchestre National de France, Moscow State Symphony Orchestra, MDR Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony Orchestra, China Philharmonic Orchestra, Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, Vienna Chamber Orchestra, Israel Chamber Orchestra and Netherlands Chamber Orchestra in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw.
....In 2007/08, he will be the soloist and conductor of the Lille National Orchestra and the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris and will be the soloist of the Colonne Orchestra in Paris/Salle Pleyel.
....Zhong participates to international master-classes at the American Schools of Fine Arts&Music in Fontainebleau and the Acad¨¦mie Internationale d¡¯Et¨¦ de Nice, where he shares his musical knowledge with the younger generation. In capacity of jury member he is regularly invited to attend international piano competitions, such as Leeds International Piano Competition(2006, 2009), Clara Haskil International Piano Competition(2005), Busoni Piano Competition in Bolzano(2003, 2007), Marguerite Long-Jacques Thibaud (2007), International Franz Liszt Piano Competition (2008), AXA Dublin International Piano Competition (2006, 2009), and Seoul International Music Competition (2008), Sviatoslav Richter International Piano Competition (2008).
.... Xu Zhong¡¯s professional experience and achievements inside China are twofold : administrative and artistic. He has been Artistic Consultant of China Shanghai International Arts Festival and Artistic Director of ¡°French Culture in Shanghai", L¡¯Ann¨¦e de la France en Chine 2003/2005. He was nominated to be Music Consultant of Shanghai Concert Hall, member of Shanghai Grand Theatre Arts Group Artistic Committee and Vice President of Shanghai Oriental Arts Centre Art Committee.
