Xin Zhao
Xin Zhao was born into a distinguished musical family in Beijing, China, where her father Wei-Jian Zhao was a renowned violin professor and pedagogue at the Central Conservatory of Music, and her mother a celebrated concert pianist. She began her musical training at the age of four, gaining admittance to the Conservatory’s pre-college division at ten.
A winner of many national competitions, Xin graduated with highest honors and received a full merit scholarship to pursue her Artist Diploma at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. As a soloist and concertmaster, she has performed with the National Repertory Orchestra, Jupiter Symphony, as well as both the Princeton and Oberlin Chamber Orchestras. Her early symphonic orchestral experiences include the American Symphony, American Composer’s Orchestra, Westchester Philharmonic, the Canton Symphony (Ohio) and Akron Symphony. A recipient of fellowships at Tanglewood, Grand Teton and Music Academy of the West music festivals, Xin worked under the batons of Leonard Bernstein, Seiji Ozawa, David Zinman, Sergiu Comissiona, Neeme Järvi, Zdeněk Mácal, and Marin Alsop, among others.
Xin’s principal teachers and mentors include her father Wei-Jian Zhao, Arnold Steinhardt, Stephen Clapp, Marilyn McDonald, as well as members of the Guarneri String Quartet and the Beaux Arts Trio. As a founding member of the Tessera String Quartet and Musa Trio, she has performed chamber music throughout the metropolitan area and the west coast.
Since 1990, Xin has been a tenured member of the first violin section of the New Jersey Symphony, where she has worked with five music directors, from Hugh Wolff to the current director, Xian Zhang. Beyond her classical music career, Xin has been active in the pops, Broadway, and recording industries, sharing the stage with artists such as Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Barbra Streisand, John Denver, James Taylor, Elton John, Sting, Julie Andrews, Smokey Robinson and Led Zeppelin, among others. Her recording credits include albums with Britney Spears, Celine Dion, Mandy Patinkin, Alicia Keys, Aretha Franklin, Barry Manilow, Audra McDonald, Burt Bacharach, and Elvis Costello, along with soundtrack recordings for numerous movies and jingles. She has performed in more than 20 Broadway productions, including Stephen Sondheim’s Tony Award winning musical Passion, Les Miz, Phantom of the Opera, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Kiss Me Kate, Sunset Boulevard, Titanic, Ragtime, Oklahoma! and many original cast albums. She also has appeared on national television programs such as The Today Show and Late Night with David Letterman.
Xin has two children and has been a long time resident of New Jersey with her husband. She enjoys gardening and playing the piano at her leisure.