Mélodie Zhao

Mélodie Zhao's musical family played a role in the development of her skills, which earned her a master’s degree in soloist performance from the Geneva Conservatory at just age 16. Zhao was born in Switzerland, but educated both there and in China, where her grandfather taught her perfect pitch and her grandmother gave her keyboard lessons. Her father -- one of her most influential coaches -- was an esteemed violin teacher at China's Central Conservatory. Coming from such a family, it was no surprise that Zhao made her first public appearance when she was six. Her first full-length, solo recital took place in Geneva when she was 10. Soon after, she was appearing at festivals throughout Switzerland, and in 2007, at age 13, became the youngest person to record both sets of Chopin's etudes. The composer was such a favorite of hers that she tried to learn everything she could about his life. Her repertoire also includes several of the most famous and technically challenging piano concertos, such as Rachmaninov's second and third concertos, both of Liszt's and Chopin's, a few of Mozart's, and Ravel's Concerto in G. Zhao continues to perform in both Europe and China, and became a visiting professor at Shengli University in China in 2008. Zhao has also tried her hand at composing, creating a water-inspired work for the 2010 Shandong Music Festival in Jinan, China. Zhao records for the Claves label, issuing an album of Liszt's Transcendental Etudes in 2011 and the complete sonatas of Beethoven in 2013.
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