Mélodie Zhao Mélodie Zhao

At age 19, Mélodie Zhao is one of the most promising pianists of the new generation: she recorded Chopin’s 24 Etudes at 13, as well as Liszt’s 12 Transcendental Studiesat 16... Then played these complete cycles at the Victoria Hall of Geneva... These are the self-challenges which this young artist has met with passion.

Swiss of Chinese origin, Mélodie Zhao was born on 7th September 1994 in Gruyère into a musicial family. Extraordinarily gifted with perfect pitch, she began studying piano at age 3 with Jiaquan Chen, professor at Beijing’s Central Conservatory of Music of China. At 9, she entered the Geneva Conservatory under the instruction of Mayumi Kameda-Balet and at 13, began her Bachelor’s of Arts in Music with Pascal Devoyon at the Geneva Music University. At 14, she obtained her Bachelor’s Degree with the highest honours, also receiving the François Dumont Prize for the best interpretation of a Beethoven sonata. When she turned 16, she was awarded her Master’s Degree in Soloist Performance with distinction, as well as the Georges Filipinetti and Carola Pajonck prizes for the musician with the highest and most refined musical sensitivity. At the same time, Mélodie Zhao has been a Migros Cultural Percent Soloist during years 2009, 2010 and 2011, and was awarded Leenaards Foundation’s 2011 scholarship.

All along her musical studies Mélodie has been coached by her father, formerly one of the topmost violin teachers at the China Central Conservatory of Music, who plays a key role in her evolution.

Accustomed to the stage since she was 6 years old, she gave her first solo recital as well as her debut performance as a soloist with an orchestra at age 10 in Geneva. At age 12, she began her career as an international concert pianist, performing at festivals such as the Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad, Migros-Classics Tour, Davos Festival, Zurich Festival, Zermatt Festival, Budapest Festival, Bratislava Festival…Swiss and French radio and television broadcast regularly Mélodie Zhao’s live concerts and recordings.

Since she was 13, Mélodie Zhao has performed regularly with many major ensembles such as the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra, Zurich Chamber Orchestra, Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Orchestra…

In April 2010, at the Jinan Music Festival, Mélodie Zhao played to great acclaim a sonata for piano solo of her own composition “Sources”. It received a standing ovation when it was premiered in Europe and her achievement has featured on numerous radio and television programmes.

At age 13, this acknowledged virtuoso recorded Chopin’s 24 Etudes which was an outstanding success both with the audiences, international experts and critics alike. In May 2011, Mélodie extended her discography with a recording of Liszt’s 12 Transcendental Studies under the Swiss label Claves Records.