Wang Jiazhi
Violin
As a rising star in the Chinese music scene, young violinist Wang Jiazhi has garnered significant attention in recent years for her remarkable achievements. Since winning top prizes at prestigious competitions such as the China Music Golden Bell Award and the Washington International Violin Competition, Wang Jiazhi has earned widespread acclaim for her exceptional artistry. The Washington Post praised her playing as "round, focused, and totally in control," while Yo-Yo Ma hailed her as "a violinist of rare talent and accomplishment." Beyond her performance career, Wang Jiazhi currently serves on the faculty of the Central Conservatory of Music, where she has established herself as one of the leading violin educators of her generation.
As a soloist, Wang Jiazhi has collaborated with renowned conductors and orchestras around the world, including Leon Botstein, Pascal Verrot, and ensembles such as the New York String Orchestra, American Symphony Orchestra, Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra (Japan), Bucheon Philharmonic Orchestra (Korea), Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, Ningbo Symphony Orchestra, Hebei Symphony Orchestra, Xiamen Opera House Symphony Orchestra, and the Central Conservatory of Music Symphony Orchestra. She has also performed as concertmaster of the Yale Philharmonic Orchestra, sharing the stage with maestros such as Valery Gergiev, Long Yu, Tan Dun, Peter Oundjian, and John Adams.
Wang Jiazhi has graced the stages of prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall in New York and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., where she has presented solo recitals. A passionate chamber musician, Wang Jiazhi has been invited to perform at festivals such as the Taos Chamber Music Festival, Kneisel Hall Chamber Music Festival, and Lake George Chamber Music Festival, collaborating with esteemed artists including Peter Serkin, Robert McDonald.
In 2018, Wang Jiazhi returned to her alma mater, the Central Conservatory of Music, to join the violin faculty. As an educator, she has been invited to participate in a series of prominent educational activities, such as the Fuzhou International Music Masterclass, Qingdao International String Masterclass, and Xiamen Music Season String Week.
She has also lectured and performed at institutions including the Seoul Central Conservatory of Music, Shanghai University’s College of Music, East China Normal University, and Wuhan Conservatory of Music. In recent years, her students have achieved remarkable success, earning top prizes at international competitions such as 2024 Tibor Vargar International Violin Competition, 2024 Andrea Postacchini International Violin Competition (Italy), 2024 Piccolo Violino Magico (Italy),2024 Grumiaux International Competition for Young Violinists , 2023 Ysaÿe International Violin Competition (Belgium), 2022 Zhuhai Mozart International Music Competition, Leonid Kogan International Competition, Incheon International Violin Competition, and the Qingdao National Violin Concerto Competition. Many of her students have gone on to study at prestigious institutions such as the Curtis Institute of Music or have secured positions in renowned professional orchestras worldwide, a testament to her dedication and expertise as a pedagogue.
Known for her precise technique and profound musicality, Wang Jiazhi was invited to record demonstration performances for W. W. Norton & Company's chamber music textbooks, which have since become widely adopted by conservatories. In 2017, she released her debut solo album, Romance, under the Skillman Music label. In December 2024, she further released French Impressions, a collaborative album with pianist Sheng Yuan, under the NCPA Classics label, set to be distributed worldwide.
Born in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, Wang Jiazhi studied at the Affiliated Middle School of the Central Conservatory of Music under the guidance of professors Zhao Wei and Zhang Ti. She graduated as the top violin student of her class at the Central Conservatory of Music and received a full scholarship to study at the Bard Conservatory of Music in the U.S., where she studied with renowned violinist Weigang Li and master violinist Shmuel Ashkenasi. She also pursued a second bachelor’s degree in Italian Studies at Bard College. In 2014, she earned a full scholarship to pursue her master’s degree at the Yale School of Music under the tutelage of distinguished violinist and educator Ani Kavafian. Wang Jiazhi currently performs on a violin crafted in 1800 by the Italian master luthier Nicolò Gagliano.