Emily Zhou is an 8th grader at Newark Charter Junior High. She began her piano journey at the age of 4 with Lydia Bak at the University of Delaware Community Music School, and continued her studies with Rebekah Waggoner at The Music School of Delaware. Since 2019, she has been under the guidance of Lotus Cheng.
Emily’s musical accomplishments are numerous. In August 2024, she earned 2nd place in the Delaware Piano Competition and was awarded a Merit Scholarship in April. In March 2023, she celebrated her first concerto competition victory, winning the 12 and under category. Additionally, she achieved Merit in the ABRSM Music Theory Grade 5 exam and earned Distinction in her Piano Grade 6 exam.
Her accolades include 2nd place in the Music School of Delaware Piano Competition (August 2023), the Grand Prix Prize at the Rising Star Music Festival (2022), and a performance at Carnegie Hall in New York. She also won 2nd place in the 2022 Charleston International Piano Competition, and 1st place in the 2021 Delaware Piano Competition. In the 2021 Charleston Classic Music Competition, she took 1st place. Emily has consistently earned Superior Plus and Superior ratings at the DSMTA Solo Piano Festivals in 2020, 2021, and 2022.
In addition to her success in music, Emily has been passionate about figure skating since the age of 4 at the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club. Over the past 8 years, she has competed in freestyle and solo ice dance. In April 2024, she won a gold medal at the International Solo Ice Dance Competition and, in September 2024, earned a bronze medal at the US National Solo Dance Competition.
Outside of her artistic pursuits, Emily enjoys reading, public speaking, and volunteering in her community. She is also an active leader, serving as Vice President of her student council, where she continues to develop her leadership skills.
You can find Emily’s 2021 Classical Music Competition piano performance here.
You can find Emily’s 2022 International Piano Competition performance here.
You can find Emily’s 2024 Autumn Music Competition piano performance here.