Zhihao Wu, Cello

Cellist Zhihao Wu began his studies at age four and made his concerto debut at the age of nine with the Shanghai Youth Symphony Orchestra performing Haydn's Cello Concerto in C Major. He went to elementary and middle music schools affiliated with Shanghai Conservatory of Music and got his bachelor's degree as a student of Julie Albers and Hans Jorgen Jensen at the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings at Mercer University in USA. Continued studied with Professor Jensen for two more years and got his Master of Music degree at Northwestern University. Currently, he is studying for his doctoral degree in the studio of Colin Carr at Stony Brook University in New York, at the same time studying chamber music with the Emerson Quartet in ESQI program. Wu has been guided by several distinguished cellists including cello lessons at festivals with Laurence Lesser, Timothy Eddy, Desmond Hoebig and Andres Diaz. Performed in master classes for Lynn Harrell, Frans Helmerson, Jian Wang, Paul Katz and Tamas Varga. At the Meadowmount School of Music Mr. Wu was Hans Jorgen Jensen's teaching assistant for 3 years.
Zhihao Wu has been a top prize winner in a number of competitions including:
2018 Washington international string competition, in USA 3rd prize. 2017 concerto competition at McDuffie center for strings in USA 1st prize. 2016 USA Music Teacher's National Association National Music Competition 2nd prize. 2020 Thaviu string Competition 1st prize. 2022 Winner of the concerto competition of Stony Brook University. 2023 The 29th Leos Janacek international competition, 1st prize.
In his native China before coming to the United States Mr. Wu was a top prize winner of the 2013 Shanghai chamber Music competition for String Quartet. The 2008 and 2010 China National Professional Cello competition the Excellence China’s Work Award at the 2008 China National Professional Cello competition.
As a young cellist Mr. Wu won 1st prize of the 2006 “Antonio Janigro” Competition in Croatia.
Over the years Zhihao Wu has performed in numerous concerts:
2019 Heifetz "Stars of tomorrow concert series" in Virginia, USA. 2018 Fabian Concert series at Mercer University. At the Rome Chamber music festival, he performed in a number of concerts in 2015 and 2016. Mr. Wu performed the Dvorak concerto with the Scotch College (Australia) symphony orchestra at the Shanghai Conservatory of music in 2011.
Wu is the recipient of scholarships from Virtu Foundation, McDuffie center for strings, Bentley T. Handwork Scholarship Foundation, Tang-Junyuan Education Foundation, Fu-Chengxian Foundation, Shanghai Art Talents Foundation, Shanghai “Star Plan," Stuart Holland Memorial Award, and Kates Fellowship Award. Professor Meijuan Liu was his first teacher in Shanghai. He is playing on a cello made by David Caron, which was generously provided by the Virtu Foundation.