By David Li, bostonese.com
Cambridge, Mass., Nov. 18, 2013, — When pianist Dr. Lin Lin moved to Boston ten years ago, 5-year-old Kevin Zhao became her first student. Ten years later, you can see how proud Dr. Lin was from the smiles on her face at Kevin Zhao’s recital at Longy School of music in the evening of Nov. 9, 2013.
Dozens of family and friends attended the recital and enjoyed the wonderful music that flown from the fingers of 15-year-old Kevin Zhao. “He showed great interest in music from his first piano lesson,” said Dr. Lin. Piano has become an important element of Kevin Zhao’s life ever since.
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Born in Boston, Kevin Zhao is a rising star in the classic music scene in this area. He has won 1st place twice, and 3rd place in the Massachusetts Music Teachers Association’s (MMTA) Bay State Contest. He recently won 2nd place in the 2013 Ellen Huff Powers Young Artist Competition.
Kevin Zhao attends Newton North High School where he is in 10th In addition to music, he loves science. Kevin is recommended to take part in the school Math team by his math teacher. He also loves playing baseball, soccer, basketball, badminton and table tennis. He has won the 2010 Newton City Series Championship in baseball and is planning to tryout for his school’s JV baseball team in the spring. |
Besides playing piano, Kevin Zhao took part in several fundraising events, including the 2006 Children Helping Children Fundraising Concert for Leukemia. He helps his sister and friends whenever help is needed.
Speaking of his plan for college, Kevin Zhao mentioned that he would like to stay in Boston area so that he could help with parents and sister, and study double majors in medicine and music.
Both parents of Kevin Zhao are scientists in the field of medicine. They strongly support Kevin’s piano, academic studies and emotion development. They patiently guide him through his development. After his solo recital, Kevin is going to audition for the young artist level, the highest level of the National Piano Playing Auditions, this year.
Kevin Zhao’s mother Dr. Huiyan Zeng, an assistant professor at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, thanked Dr. Lin’s teaching and patience over past ten years. To Dr. Zeng, seeing her son becoming a caring and loving young man is more satisfying than listening to the wonderful music her son makes.
Bio of Dr. Lin Lin
Born in Beijing, China, Dr. Lin Lin began piano studies at age five with her mother. At nine she entered the youngest class of the Primary School Division, and two years later the Middle School Division of the prestigious Central Conservatory of Music, where she studied with Jianqin Fan as a piano major. She graduated from the Conservatory’s high school with highest honors and was selected as one of the two seniors exempted from entrance examinations for the College Division in recognition of her outstanding musical and academic achievements.
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After being awarded as a full scholarship recipient, she continued her studies with Eugene Pridonoff, a pupil of Rudolf Serkin, and Elizabeth Pridonoff at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), where she received her Bachelor of Music, Master of Music, and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in piano performance.
Dr. Lin has been active as a soloist, chamber musician and piano accompanist. She has won prizes in many competitions, including the Young Keyboard Artists Association International Piano competition, Midland-Odessa National Young Artist Competition, Young Musicians Competition in Ohio, Pearl River National Young Pianists Competition in Beijing, and the Concerto Competitions of CCM. |
As a featured soloist, Dr. Lin has appeared with many orchestras, including the Wellesley Symphony, the Midland-Odessa Symphony, Northern Kentucky Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra of Cincinnati and the China Youth Symphony.
Her live performances have been broadcasted on China Central Radio, German NDR Radio, WGUC of Cincinnati, and WGBH of Boston. She performed in piano master classes taught by great musicians, such as Paul Badura Skoda, Earl Wild, Robert Weirich, Gilbert Kalish, Seymour Lipkin, and Arthur Balsam. As an avid chamber musician, she frequently performed in master classes with the Tokyo String Quartet and the late Dorothy DeLay, among others.
Dr. Lin has served on the faculty of Wright State University, Musical Arts Center of Cincinnati, the Preparatory Department of CCM and M. Steinert & Sons in Natick, Massachusetts. She currently teaches at her studio in Belmont, Massachusetts. Her students have won prizes in many state competitions. She has also served on the jury of many piano competitions, including the Steinway Society of Massachusetts Piano Competition, The Dandelion Auditions for Outstanding Artistic Stars for Youngsters in Beijing, China.