Xi Zhang

Violist Xi Zhang joined the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra viola section in 2014. She also won associate viola principal position in Kansas City Symphony prior to St. Louis. Born in Hubei Province, China, Zhang completed both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at New England Conservatory, where she studied with Martha Katz and Kim Kashkashian, as a recipient of the Ivanka and Bogdana Tchakarova Scholarship.

Throughout her time at NEC, Zhang frequently served as viola principal with the NEC Philharmonia, NEC Chamber Orchestra and NEC Philharmonia Opera from 2009-2014. In 2013 she served as principal violist with the Verbier Festival Orchestra, under the direction of Charles Dutoit, and in 2012 was principal violist for a tour with the Schleswig-Holstein Festival Orchestra, under the direction of Christoph Eschenbach. She also served as viola associate principal for New York String Seminar from 2009-2010, and viola associate principal for Colorado College Music Festival in 2009 and Spoleto USA orchestra in 2013. Other summer festival participation include: Grant Park Music Festival, Tanglewood, and Pacific Music Festival. During her studies in Boston, she played in local orchestra including Boston Philharmonic from 2008-2013, and Atlantic Symphony from 2009-2013. Zhang served as viola associate principal in Symphony Nova from 2013-2014.

As an active chamber musician, Zhang regularly performs and collaborates with her colleagues in the SLSO at St. Louis’s Sheldon Performing Arts Center. Zhang appeared throughout Europe in summer 2008. Her chamber concerts in the United States included regular performances from 2008-2013 at New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall that featured the string quartets of Beethoven, Brahms, and Mendelssohn.