Audition Cafe

Introduction

Willard Zhong’s creed as a violinist is to connect with the people of today with his raw and physical expression of himself within his music. Empathetic to everyone’s different lives, he wishes to combat echo chambers- to listen actively and contribute personally, so as to join and grow alongside different people of all kinds. He does this through his own students, many passionate musical collaborations, but most importantly through refining his sound relentlessly so that it can resonate more and more with all whom care to listen.

As a soloist he has performed the Sibelius, Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn and Wieniawski 2nd violin concerti with various orchestras, and is also an active participant in chamber music, having participated in the Mimir festival emerging artist’s programme and the Rippon Lea concert series. He is also an active orchestral musician, having led ANGO, the Australiasian Orchestra, the Melbourne University String Ensemble, Philharmonic Ensemble, and was previously 2nd violin principal of the Melbourne University Symphony Orchestra. He has also been part of MTO, AOS orchestra, and the Melbourne Opera Symphony Orchestra. Some of his biggest aspirations are the leading world symphonies such as the Berlin Philarmonic, Chicago and Cleveland Symphonies, the leaders of whom he’s been lucky enough to have masterclasses with!

This year Willard is finishing his third year of Bachelors of Music at the University of Melbourne and hopes to continue to learn and share his music as honestly as he can. In his spare time he loves to gaze lovingly at dogs (with or without permission) and to write creatively.