Christina Zhou

violin

A highly sought after violinist and teacher in Singapore, Christina Zhou has been praised for exhibiting a “full rein of her virtuoso abilities” in concert and for presenting performances that are “a testament to true musicianship and fortitude”
(The Straits Times).

Christina studied under the late Zvi Zeitlin at the Eastman School of Music in the U.S. where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree with distinction honors. She then went on to complete her Graduate Diploma under Zuo Jun at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory in Singapore. Her previous teachers include Sui Yue Long and Zhang Zhen Shan. Christina has won the First Prize of the Concerto Competition at Eastman and Third Prize in the Junior Category of the National Violin Competition in Singapore.

Christina has performed extensively in chamber groups and orchestras, working closely with world renowned conductors and musicians both in the States and Singapore. She was a founding member of the Sophron Quartet (2013-2015). She has recorded with the OSSIA ensemble under New World Records in the States. Christina freelances in the Metropolitan Festival Orchestra, re:Sound Collective among others. She has been featured as a soloist with the ADDO Chamber Orchestra, as well as toured with the PSPA International Ensemble in Malaysia. She is also the violinist of the SETTS Ensemble. SETTS consists of 11 professional musicians who aspire to transform the cultural scene of the city, produce and present performances of South-East Asian Contemporary music to a high professional standard.

Beyond the western classical music genre, Christina has been invited to record for Rani Singam's single "My Muse". She was also invited to play for "Disquiet", Chok Kerong's first work featuring the pipe organ for the VCH Organ Series alongside other SSO musicians.

A passionate educator, Christina is currently the Principal and Director of Coronation Music School and spends most of her time teaching. Together with Dr. Tang Tee Tong, she initiated the String Teachers' Collective, a community for fellow string teachers. She is highly experienced in coaching students (SNYS among others) in chamber and orchestral works, as well as giving education workshops from pre-school to pre-college level.

Her teaching philosophy is based upon developing a growth mindset, and that learning and playing music creates a space for anyone to deal with matters of the mind.

"My goal as a teacher is to ensure that my students not only enjoy their music learning process, but to be aware and able to apply the skills, mental process of learning music to other aspects of their lives as well. Learning and appreciating music has the power to shape one's cognitive abilities and character that will benefit anyone at any stage in life - be it a child simply having fun learning and discovering music or a working adult seeking a new hobby or new inspiration. "

Christina plays a 1998 violin, "Opera" made by the Russian violin maker Nikolai Stasov.

photo by KateLPhotography