Biography
Born in Switzerland, Mélodie Zhao developed her abilities within a musically immersed household that guided her to a master’s degree in soloist performance from the Geneva Conservatory at age 16. Her schooling unfolded across Switzerland and China, where her grandfather cultivated her perfect pitch and her grandmother supplied early keyboard instruction. Her father, a distinguished violin pedagogue at China’s Central Conservatory and one of her chief mentors, exerted particular influence. Given this background, Zhao’s first public appearance occurred at six; her debut full-length solo recital followed in Geneva at ten. She soon appeared at festivals throughout Switzerland and, in 2007 at age 13, became the youngest artist to record both volumes of Chopin’s etudes. The composer ranked among her strongest preferences, prompting extensive study of his life. Her repertoire encompasses such technically formidable concertos as Rachmaninov’s second and third, both of Liszt’s, both of Chopin’s, several by Mozart, and Ravel’s Concerto in G. Zhao maintains an active performing schedule in Europe and China; in 2008 she was appointed visiting professor at Shengli University in China. She has also composed, producing a water-themed work for the 2010 Shandong Music Festival in Jinan. For the Claves label she issued an album of Liszt’s Transcendental Etudes in 2011 and the complete Beethoven sonatas in 2013.
Albums
