Xian Zhang

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Xian Zhang (Simplified Chinese: 张弦), born in Dandong, China) is a Chinese American conductor. She was appointed Associate Conductor of the New York Philharmonic in July 2005 by Music Director Lorin Maazel. Zhang, who will serve a two-year term in her new position, was named Assistant Conductor in September 2004.

Xian Zhang received both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. She served as conductor-in-residence of the China Opera House in Beijing, and conductor of the JinFan Symphony Orchestra.

Zhang made her Philharmonic subscription debut in January 2005, conducting Mark-Anthony Turnage’s Scherzoid, a World Premiere–New York Philharmonic Commission, and Britten’s Four Sea Interludes, on a program shared with Maazel. Later in the season she shared conducting duties with Pinchas Zukerman, leading the Philharmonic in a performance of Stravinsky’s Histoire du Soldat. She also conducted six of the seven orchestral programs in the 2005 New York Philharmonic Time Warner Concerts in the Parks, and one concert during the Orchestra’s residency at the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival in Colorado in July 2005.

During the 2005–06 season Zhang is leading three Philharmonic subscription concerts and a Young People’s Concert while continuing to serve as a cover conductor for the Orchestra.

Zhang has studied with Maazel, and was a co-winner of the Maazel-Vilar Conductors’ Competition. She made her debut with the Philharmonic leading a Young People’s Concert on February 7, 2004, and again conducted concerts for youngsters on November 12, 2004 and April 2, 2005. On May 30, 2005, she led the Philharmonic’s free Annual Memorial Day Concert at The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine. She was a cover conductor for the Orchestra during the 2002–03 and 2003–04 seasons.

Zhang made her debut with the London Symphony Orchestra in May 2005, which resulted in an immediate invitation to return in 2006. She has made guest-conducting appearances with New Zealand’s Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, which also resulted in an immediate re-engagement. Following her success with Verdi’s La traviata at the Cincinnati Opera in 2003, Ms. Zhang was invited to conduct the company’s 2004 production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni and other upcoming presentations. Future engagements include appearances with the Cincinnati Symphony, Colorado Symphony, and Minnesota Opera. She recently completed a four-year tenure as music director of the Concert Orchestra at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music.