Simon Zhu Germany, 19, Senior

Simon Zhu started playing the violin at six years old. He currently studies with Tomasz Tomaszewski and Ning Feng. He has also participated in masterclasses with Ana Chumachenco, Ingolf Turban, Paul Roczek, Boris Kushnir and Igor Ozim. Simon has won 1st Prize awards at many international competitions such as the Schöntal Competition, Valsesia Musica Competition and the Zhuhai Mozart Competition. He is an academist at the Daniel Hope and the Water Stauffer academies, and a scholarship-holder of the International Academy of Music in Liechtenstein and the German Music Foundation. He plays on a violin kindly sponsored by Florian Leonhard Fine Violins.

“I am very honored and excited to participate in the Menuhin Competition Richmond 2021. Yehudi Menuhin was one of the greatest violinists of all time and he was one of my role models, not only as a musician but also as a human - so it is an honor for me to be part of his legacy. I am sure that I will be able to improve as a musician and meet lots of new friends. I can not wait for the Competition to start!”

Repertoire

Senior First Rounds
  • J.S. Bach Solo Sonata in C major BWV 1005, Largo and Allegro Assai
  • John Corigliano Stomp for Scordatura Violin
  • Paganini Caprice No. 24 for Solo Violin, Op.1
Senior Semi Final
  • Mozart First movement of Violin Concerto No. 5 in A Major, K. 219
  • Mark O'Connor Menuhin Caprice
  • Ysaÿe Caprice d'après l'étude en forme de valse de C. Saint-Saëns
  • Franck Violin Sonata in A Major, FWV. 8, 3rd movement
Senior Final
  • Wieniawski Violin Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 22, Allegro moderato
  • Mozart Violin Concerto No. 5 in A Major, K. 219, Adagio
  • Ysaÿe Solo Sonata No. 6 "Manuel Quiroga"