| Biography | Lauren Zhang is an American-born pianist who won the BBC's Young Musician Contest in May 2018. In 2010, Zhang moved with her parents to Birmingham, the United Kingdom, where she has been studying music at the Birmingham Junior Conservatoire while attending King Edward VI High School for Girls.
Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Lauren Zhang started to play the piano under Madeline Ignazito when she was four years old, and the violin under Terry Coulton at the age of six in Illinois. In 2010, when their family moved to England, Lauren Zhang joined the Junior Department at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and initially studied piano with Rebeca Omordia. Since 2011, she has been studying the piano under Dr Robert Markham who was a finalist at the Tchaikovsky International Competition in Moscow in 1994, and the piano class winner of the BBC Young Musician of the Year Competition in 1986. Zhang has also studied the violin at the Conservatoire under Sam Mason. In addition, Lauren Zhang has received advice and participated in masterclasses with Kenneth Hamilton, Lan Mi, Fabio Bidini, Peter Donohoe, Kalman Drafi, Philip Martin, Pascal Nemirovski, and John Thwaites. Lauren also receives guidance from Christopher Elton. She achieved her fellowship diploma in piano performance at the age of 13, having completed her licentiate diploma the year before. She also achieved her licentiate diploma in violin at the age of 12. Interested in chamber music, she plays in ensembles. |