Artist Biography Demonstrating consummate musicianship and enthusiastic commitment to the art of music-making, pianist Wenli Zhou brings a world-class technique, a deeply-embedded musicality, and infectious excitement to her playing. Ms. Zhou began her early musical training at the age of five in her native China at Sichuan Conservatory of Music, subsequently making her first public appearance at age six in Chengdu. As a soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician, Ms. Zhou has given performances in such places as Carnegie Recital Hall, Miller Theaters in New York city, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D. C., Liszt Academy of Budapest in Hungary, the Netherlands, Japan, Poland, Canada, and numerous cities through China and the United States. She is the recipient of prizes and awards from international and regional competitions, including the World Piano Competition, the twenty-seventh Frinna Awerbuch International Competition of the New York Congress of Piano Teachers, Grace Welch International Piano Competition in Chicago, the Kankakee (Illinois) Concerto Competition, and the Rislov Foundation Award. In addition, she was the winner of the Rice University Concerto Competition, the University of Michigan Concerto Competition as well as the Western Michigan University Concerto Competition. Ms. Zhou has been invited to perform in festivals such as the Gilmore International Keyboard Festival and the International Holland Music Sessions. She has performed in master classes given by Emanuel Ax, Garrick Ohlsson, and David Owen Norris. In addition, Ms. Zhou has worked with prominent pianists and composers, such as Vladimir Feltsman, Betsy Jolas, Lee Kum-Sing, Paul Ostrovsky, John Perry, Bright Sheng, Alexander Slobodyanik, and Earl Wild, among others. Ms. Zhou has also adjudicated a number of piano competitions in the United States and China. Ms. Zhou holds degrees and diplomas from the University of Michigan, Western Michigan University and Sichuan Conservatory of Music (Pre-College). She is currently a candidate for Doctoral of Musical Arts at Rice University. Her primary teachers include Robert Roux, Logan Skelton, Arthur Greene, Lori Sims, Silvia Roederer, and Hanguo Yang. Ms. Zhou has served on the faculty at the Michael P. Hammond Preparatory Program at the Shepherd School, Annunciation Orthodox School in Houston, and the University of Texas Pan American. She is currently on the faculty at Houston Community College Spring Branch.