Pianist Shichao Zhang is an accomplished performer and educator who currently serves as the Director of the Keyboard Division and the Instructor of Piano at Eastern Illinois University, a position he has held since 2023. His career has spanned prestigious institutions, including the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University as an Instructor, the Music Department of Skidmore College as a Visiting Artist-in-Residence, and Helongjiang University of Technology in China as a Visiting Professor. 

Zhang has taught masterclasses and lessons at Euro Music Festival & Academy in Poland, Eastman School of Music, Ithaca College, East Tennessee State University, Morningside College, Tianjin Conservatory (Affiliated Middle & High School), 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, 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. These roles reflect his dedication to fostering musical talent and contributing to international cultural exchange.

Dr. 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 Rialto Center for the Arts in Atlanta, and the DiMenna Center for Classical Music in New York City. Zhang has premiered compositions by contemporary composers, including Xin Huguang, Xue Jin, and Julian Cochran, showcasing his dedication to expanding the repertoire of modern piano music. 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…”

Dr. Zhang has also served as an adjudicator for numerous competitions, including the Hong Kong (Asia) Piano Open Competition, the Prime Golden Bell Music Award of China, the Jiangxi Preliminary of the 3rd Kyoto International Music Competition, the Macau-Asia Pacific Youth Piano Competition, and the MTNA Illinois State Competition. His expertise and passion for teaching, performing, and festival management continue to inspire students and audiences worldwide.

A graduate of the Eastman School of Music, Dr. Zhang earned his Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance and Literature with a minor in Chamber Music and Accompanying under the tutelage of Professors Douglas Humpherys and Jean Barr. His dedication to teaching and performing was recognized with the Eastman Teaching Assistant Prize in 2013-2014 and induction into the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. Zhang’s academic journey at Eastman also included earning a Master’s degree in Piano Performance and Literature in 2014 and a Bachelor’s degree summa cum laude in 2012, accompanied by the Eastman Humanities Prize (GPA 4.0/4.0). Originally from China, Zhang received his early training in Beijing under Madam Yafen Zhu and Ms. Chen Zhang.