Wei-Xin (Byron) Zhou - Sydney International Piano Competition

Background

Nationality China

Place of Birth Shanghai

Date of Birth May 26, 1993

Prizes

2015 Winner: New England Conservatory Concerto Competition (Boston, USA)

2007 First Prize: Intermediate Solo Division, Virginia Waring International Piano Competition (California, USA)

2007 Second Prize: Schimmel Junior USASU International Piano Competition (Arizona, USA)

Wei-Xin (Byron) Zhou grew up in Shanghai where he graduated from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, studying under Christopher Zhong. In 2008 he made his concert debut in New York, and in 2011 moved to Boston and to study at the New England Conservatory of Music where he studied under Wha Kyung Byun. He graduated in 2015 with a Master’s degree and went on to earn a Graduate Diploma in 2019, studying under Bruce Brubaker. Currently he is completing an Artistic Diploma at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, studying under Sergey Schepkin.

Byron has given over one hundred recitals across Europe, America and Asia. He has also collaborated in concerto engagements with many orchestras, including the Cameristi della Scala Chamber Orchestra, the China Philharmonic Orchestra and the United Nations Symphony Orchestra.

Byron was invited to speak at the 2018 United Nations (UNITAR) Music Conference and the 2019 Davos Sub-Forum as the representative of the young generation of musicians.

Gallery

Upcoming Competition Repertoire

Preliminaries

Preliminary Round 1: 20-Minute Recital

Peter Sculthorpe: Djilile

Claude Debussy: from Préludes Book 2 L.123

VII. La terrasse des audiences du clair de lune

Johannes Brahms: Variations on a Theme by Paganini Op.35

Book 2

XVI. Thema. Non troppo Presto
XVII. Variation 1
XVIII. Variation 2. Poco Animato
XIX. Variation 3
XX. Variation 4. Poco Allegretto
XXI. Variation 5
XXII. Variation 6. Poco più vivace
XXIII. Variation 7
XXIV. Variation 8. Allegro
XXV. Variation 9

XXVI. Variation 10. Veloce, energico

XXVII. Variation 11. Vivace

XXVIII. Variation 12. Un poco Andante

XXIX. Variation 13. Un poco più Andante

XXX. Variation 14. Presto, ma non troppo

Preliminary Round 2: 30-Minute Recital

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Fantasia in D minor K.397

Maurice Ravel: Gaspard de la Nuit

I. Ondine

II. Le Gibet

III. Scarbo

Semi-Finals

Semi Finals Round 1: 65-Minute Recital

Maurice Ravel: Jeux d'eau

Ludwig Van Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.2 in A Major Op.2 No.2

I. Allegro vivace

II. Largo appassionato

III. Scherzo. Allegretto – Trio

IV. Rondo. Grazioso

Tong Sang: Fair Maiden from Afar

Robert Schumann: Carnaval Op.9

I. Préambule

II. Pierrot

III. Arlequin

IV. Valse noble

V. Eusebius

VI. Florestan

VII. Coquette

VIII. Réplique (Sphinxes)

IX. Papillons

X. A.S.C.H. – S.C.H.A.: Lettres Dansantes

XI. Chiarina

XII. Chopin

XIII. Estrella

XIV. Reconnaissance

XV. Pantalon et Colombine

XVI. Valse allemande

XVII. Paganini

XVIII. Aveu

XIX. Promenade

XX. Pause

XXI. Marche des Davidsbündler contre les Philistins

Franz Liszt: Transcendental Études S.139

V. Feux Follets

Finals

Final Round 2: Concerto with Symphony Orchestra

Johannes Brahms: Sonata for Violin and Piano No.1 in G Major Op.78

I. Vivace, ma non troppo

II. Adagio

III. Allegro molto moderato

Fritz Kreisler: Syncopation

OR:

Sergei Rachmaninoff: Sonata for Cello and Piano in G minor Op.19

I. Lento

II. Allegro scherzando

III. Andante

IV. Allegro mosso

Edward Elgar: Salut d’amour Op.12

Final Round 1: Concerto with String Orchestra

Frédéric Chopin: Piano Concerto No.2 in F minor Op.21

I. Maestoso

II. Larghetto

III. Allegro vivace

Final Round 2: Concerto with Symphony Orchestra

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No.1 in B♭ minor Op.23

I. Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso – Allegro con spirito
II. Andantino semplice – Prestissimo
III. Allegro con fuoco