Zhen Huang began his musical journey at the age of four with piano studies, later transitioning to the tuba at eleven. Throughout his tuba studies, he continued to practice and refine his piano skills. During high school in 2008, he joined the Shanghai Student Symphony Orchestra and participated in concerts conducted by maestros Lorin Maazel and Philip Smith. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music under the mentorship of Jie Hao, followed by a master’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied with Alan Baer. He further honed his craft with an Artist Diploma from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music under Jeff Anderson, and ultimately achieved a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) from Rutgers University, once again studying
with Alan Baer.
Zhen Huang has cultivated a distinguished career in both performance and education across New York City and New Jersey. As an orchestral musician, he has held principal tuba positions and performed in prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, David Geffen Hall, NBPAC, and the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine under the batons of Ken-David Masur, George Manahan, Kynan Johns, and others. Additionally, he has appeared as a guest tuba player with several renowned orchestras, including the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra and the Harvard Wind Ensemble. He has also served as principal tuba for The Asian Culture Symphony of USA, Bravura Philharmonic Orchestra, and the New York International Virtuosi Orchestra.
As a soloist, Zhen was awarded the gold medal in the youth category of the Shanghai Spring International Music Festival Brass Solo Competition. In 2015, he and his brass quintet, Bronze Brass, earned third prize at the Jeju International Brass & Percussion Competition in South Korea, marking a historic milestone for Chinese musicians in the competition.
You can find Zhen’s 19th Century Music Competition 2024 tuba performance here.