Willard Zhong

Born in 1996, Melbourne, Willard Zhong began studying violin at the age of 5. Upon entering young ANAM at the age of in 2004 he was designated to his current teacher Mark Mogilevski. In 2009 he received the Brian Hone Music Scholarship to study at Melbourne Grammar School for six years and in 2011 received his Lmusa diploma. He is also a recipient of the Corinna D’Hage Mayer String Scholarship and the Kate Flowers Memorial Scholarship.

As concertmaster of the MGSSO (Melbourne Grammar School Symphony Orchestra) from the years 2013-2014, he has played and soloed in various international orchestra tours in Japan, Europe and America. Other orchestral ventures include leading the ANGO (Australian New Goldenberg Orchestra) from 2013-2015, premiering Julian Yu’s works in several international tours to China, as well as leading the AAO (Australian Asian Orchestra) in 2016.

Solo endeavours include performing the Saint Saens 3rd Violin concerto with the Promusica Symphony Orchestra and the entire Tchaikovsky and Sibelius violin concerti with the MGSSO and MUBSO (Melbourne University Biomedical Symphony Orchestra) respectively. Willard has also performed the Franck, Ravel and select Beethoven violin sonatas with the Team of Pianists at Ripponlea, and recently performed a solo recital as part of the St George’s Cathedral 2017 concert series.

Willard is currently studying as a 3rd year at the Conservatorium of Music at Melbourne University, where he resides as principal 2nd violinist in MUSO (Melbourne University Symphonic Orchestra) and the Melbourne University Philharmonic Orchestra, whilst also being the concertmaster of the Melbourne University String Ensemble.