Pianist Zee Zee on Presenting a Chamber Music Festival in Shanghai

Tune in on May 11 to watch the finale concert of the Z+ International Chamber Music Festival

 

To be held annually in Shanghai, China, the Z+ International Chamber Music Festival presented 8 concerts at the Shanghai Symphony Hall in April, 2024.

The event was founded by Chinese-American pianist Zee Zee (Zhang Zuo), who also serves as its artistic director. Several of the concerts were streamed here on The Violin Channel. Audiences are invited to watch the festival finale concert on May 11 at 1 PM (ET).

We sat down with Zee Zee to get an inside look at her newest initiative.

 

Tell us about the Z+ Music Festival. When was it created and what is its main mission?

We are very honored and lucky to have hosted this edition of the Z+ Music Festival. The main mission is to present the best chamber music performances, by the best international musicians to our audiences in Shanghai and (through the media) all around the world.

 

Where did the festival take place?

The festival took place at the Shanghai Symphony Hall –  at its main concert hall, chamber hall, and the TRI space – an innovative concert venue.

 

Can you tell us about the artists performing this year?

We’re honored to be able to invite some of the most acclaimed musicians worldwide, including violinists Clara Jumi Kang, Ning Feng, Esther Yoo, violist Yura Lee, Lise Berthaud, cellist Julian Steckel, Andrei Ionita, pianist Haochen Zhang, Sunwook Kim, Louis Schwizgebel, Guitarist Xuefei Yang, Bass-Bariton Shenyang, and Mezzo–Soprano Huiling Zhu. Musicians of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and conductor Zhang Lu also joined us in several concerts.

 

 

 

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How did you curate such a festival?

Well, as a performer and a concert pianist, I’m primarily familiar with playing the piano. Creating such a big event was very challenging, indeed, from designing the program to sending out all the invitations, to fundraising and looking into logistics, and lots of administrative work. But thanks to my team and the Shanghai Symphony, I had lots of guidance and help. Of course, my biggest passion and motivation comes from my love of chamber music. I had the most memorable experiences of reading through chamber music with friends, so it is a dream come true to put them on stage and bring good music to more people. It is pure enjoyment, creating music and “partying “ with beloved amazing musicians and colleagues.

 

What are you hoping audiences will experience?

Greatest performances, inspiration, and joy!

 

What do you think is the role of chamber music in today’s society?

Chamber music is the most essential form of music. To me, it has the best repertoire in music history, and it needs to be heard more. I think concertos and symphonies are also chamber music, just in a bigger form with a bigger group. In a way, everything IS chamber music and shares the same spirit of sharing, collaborating, and mutually inspiring.

 

 

 

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How can we bring younger and younger audiences to classical music concerts?

Good music, great musicians, new programs, and social media all help. We do whatever we can to make younger people curious and interested in classical music and give them access to a variety of concerts.

 

How does the Z+ Festival differentiate itself from other chamber music festivals?

It is taking place in the Far East in the beautiful city of Shanghai. It is very common to see a chamber music festival in the US or in Europe, but people barely bring or share any of these precious musical moments this far. People often travel that kind of distance to see something like a soloist with an orchestra or a recital tour.

This quality of chamber music level is extremely rare in the whole country. Some audiences have never heard such a high level of chamber music, and they were thrilled and exhilarated by our festival.

 

What were you most looking forward to at this year’s edition of the festival?

This was our inaugural edition of the Z+ music festival, so we hope all the musicians had an unforgettable experience in Shanghai and enjoyed a musical journey filled with friendship and love. I also hope the audiences explored and discovered the beauty and the richness of chamber music.