Pianist Shichao Zhang holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance and Literature, with a minor in Chamber Music and Accompanying, at the prestigious Eastman School of Music. Under the tutelage of Professor Douglas Humpherys and Professor Jean Barr, he played an important role as a teacher in various capacities at Eastman, including the Primary/Secondary Piano Program, Class Piano Teacher, and a Studio Teaching Assistant. Dr. Zhang’s dedication and teaching led to his recognition with the 2013-2014 Eastman Teaching Assistant Prize.

Zhang received his Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance at Eastman, graduating with summa cum laude in 2012, accompanied by the esteemed Eastman Humanity Prize (GPA 4.0/4.0). He continued his musical pursuit by obtaining a Master’s degree in Piano Performance and Literature at Eastman in 2014. Zhang’s achievement was recognized by the Pi Kappa Lambda, a National Music Honor Society. Originally from China, Zhang received his early training in Beijing, where he studied under the guidance of Madam Yafen Zhu and Ms. Chen Zhang.

Zhang has won numerous prizes in competitions including the Hong Kong (Asia) Piano Open Competition, the Eastman School of Music Concerto Competition, the New York MTNA Steinway Young Artist Competition, the 2011 Jefferson Symphony International Young Artists Competition, the Iowa International Piano Competition and the Metropolitan International Piano Competition. His playing has been praised as “Mr. Zhang has excellent technique and is a very probing musician...” “Shichao’s performances reflect a great musicality, depth of interpretation, and technical expertise…”

Zhang’s musical journey has taken him around the world, with solo recitals, chamber-music concerts, and concerto performances throughout China, the United States, and Europe. Notable venues include the China National Centre for the Performing Arts, the Forbidden City Concert Hall, the National Library of China Concert Hall, the Eppley Auditorium and Orpheum Theatre in Sioux City, Iowa, and the Rialto Center for the Arts in Atlanta. In the New York State, he has performed frequently at Eastman Theater, Eastman Kilbourn Hall, as well as the Geneva Smith Center for the Arts, the DiMenna Center for Classical Music (NYC), and WXXI 91.5 radio. Zhang has premiered compositions by contemporary composers, including Xin Huguang, Xue Jin, and Julian Cochran. His expertise extends to adjudicating various competitions, including the 3rd Macau-Asia Pacific Youth Piano Competition, the 18th Hong Kong (Asia) Piano Open Competition, the Prime Golden Bell Music Award of China, the Jiangxi Preliminary of the 3rd Kyoto International Music Competition.

Dr. Zhang joined the faculty at Eastern Illinois University in 2023. Previously he was on the faculty at the Bienen School of Music at the Northwestern University, and served as a Visiting Professor at the Helongjiang University of Technology in China. He has been a full-time Visiting Artist-in-Residence at the Music Department of Skidmore College, where he taught a full studio and coached chamber music. In addition, Zhang has taught and coached solo piano and chamber music of students from the Eastman School of Music, Ithaca College School of Music, East Tennessee State University, Morningside College, Minzu University School of Music (Beijing, China), etc. His students have been accepted by schools such as Boston College, Boston University, Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, Cleveland Institute of Music, DePaul University, Eastman School of Music, Indiana University, Ithaca College, Juilliard School, Longy School of Music, Manhattan School of Music, Mannes School of Music, Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Peabody Institute, San Francisco Conservatory, Temple University, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Michigan, University of Southern California, among others.

In addition to his teaching and performing commitments, Dr. Zhang proudly serves as the Festival Manager of the Amalfi Coast Music & Arts Festival in Italy, and the Festival Coordinator of the Gijón International Piano Festival in Spain.