Biography
Jingshu Zhao is one of the outstanding young pianists from China. She was born in 1991 in Wuhan, China. After starting to play the piano at the remarkable young age of 4 years old, her talent became clearly evident. She completed her undergraduate studies at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, where she was nurtured by the guidance of mentors such as Keng Zhou and Baili Fang. She then continued to pursue her Master's degree at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, under the tutelage of Jon Nakamatsu and Mack McCray. Finally, she earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in piano performance at the University of North Texas, guided by mentors Joseph Banowetz and Vladimir Viardo.
As a concert pianist, She performed extensively in both the People’s Republic of China and the United States. In addition, she has won the following prizes in National and International competitions: the first prize winner of the 2021 Baroque Music Competiton Division of Charleston International Music Competition, Honorable Mention of Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition, second prize of International Music Award Vienna/Austria, the Four Hands Group Gold Award in the Helen Piano Competition, the “Outstanding Performance Award” in the solo group of the Shanghai Division of the Chang Jiang Cup national college piano competition, the silver medalist in the second Deutscher Irmler-Klavierwettbewerb, and the first prize in the piano four hands group of the Shanghai Division of the Chang Jiang Cup national college piano competition.
Notably, Jingshu Zhao's contributions extend beyond the concert stage. She was invited to record Professor Baili Fang’s instructional DVD series of Bach Inventions, published by the Shanghai Conservatory Press. Recently, her debut album, "Carl Czerny Volume One," was released by Toccata Classics in July 2019. The album's world premiere recordings garnered acclaim from esteemed sources, including Fanfare Music Magazine, BBC Music Magazine, and Sunday Times. Fanfare Magazine described it as "a remarkable debut," praised her "terrific playing" in BBC Music Magazine, and commended Jingshu's interpretation of Czerny's compositions, which showcased her finesse and musicality. Fanfare Magazine described Jingshu's performance as “sparkling and versatile pianism bestows an elegant sheen,” noting, “ Finger velocity meets lightness of touch meets deft humor to a degree rarely heard from the studio...". The magazine also heralded her as a major discovery with the capacity to excel in a diverse repertoire.