Ethan Zhou is a 9th grader at Del Norte High School. He started his violin journey at the age of five and has been studying with Alexander Palamidis for nine years. Ethan has won numerous awards in string competitions, including VOCE state finalist in 2023, 2024 intermediate division, 1st place in the 2020 and 2023 San Diego MTAC Concerto Competition, and 1st place in both the Advanced and Intermediate Ensemble categories of the Mainly Mozart Youth Orchestra String Solo Competition. Ethan has additional music experience playing piano, earning 1st place in the 2019 Goodlin Competition Division I Piano. He enjoys sharing his love for music with others and his piano trio was selected for the VOCE state final in both 2022 and 2023.
Ethan is an active member of the San Diego music community. He played for the Mainly Mozart Youth Orchestra for five years from 2017 to 2022 and, since the beginning of 2023, has been a member of the San Diego Youth Symphony, receiving a full scholarship for the 2023 to 2024 season. Additionally, Ethan participates in the La Jolla Presbyterian Church Orchestra as a violist.
Ethan’s dedication extends to his summers, during which he has attended multiple prestigious music camps, including Los Angeles Youth Philharmonic Summer Concert in 2020, 2021, Montecito Music Festival in 2021, Idyllwild Intensive Summer Chamber Music Program 2022, Interlochen Summer Arts Camp in 2023. At the Interlochen Summer Arts Camp, he serviced as Intermediate Orchestra Concert Master and won 1st Place in the Intermediate Concerto Competition. In Summer 2024, Ethan will attend National Youth Orchestra 2 (NYO2). He will have the honor of performing at Carnegie Hall in New York City and Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas.
At school, Ethan attends Speech and Debate and Science Olympiad, which help him to learn topics ranging from politics, environment, and astronomy. In his free time, he likes to play games and hang out with friends.
You can find Ethan’s 2024 Spring Music Competition violin performance here.