Scarlett Zheng Captivates Washington Audience
Last Friday, the Bulgarian Music Society welcomed audiences to an unforgettable evening at the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria, featuring Chinese pianist Scarlett Zheng (Xinyue Zheng)—a rising artist whose growing international career is already drawing well-deserved attention.
Born in Nanjing, China, Scarlett Zheng began studying piano at the age of five. Today, she is completing her master’s degree at the renowned Eastman School of Music in the United States, where she studies under acclaimed pianist and professor Alexander Kobrin. With a blend of sensitivity, technique, and expressive maturity, Zheng continues to captivate audiences on stages around the world.
The concert featured works by two great Romantic composers: Ludwig van Beethoven and Robert Schumann. The first half of the program opened with Beethoven’s Sonata in D Major, Op. 10, No. 3—a dynamic and expressive work full of contrast and color. After a brief intermission, Zheng performed Schumann’s Carnaval, Op. 9, a vivid character piece filled with imagined figures and inner dialogues. She brought emotional depth to each vignette, shifting seamlessly between the introspective Eusebius and the fiery Florestan and highlighting the lyrical and dramatic elements with remarkable nuance.
With a performance that combined technical mastery and emotional insight, Zheng delivered an interpretation in which stylistic finesse and personal expression moved hand in hand.
Zheng’s artistic maturity is underpinned by an impressive record of competition and concert experience. Her most notable accolades include:
· First Prize at the 8th International Young Artists Competition in Nice, Côte d’Azur
· Second Prize at the International Piano Competition for Young Performers (2017)
· Third Prize and the Audience Award at the MostArts Festival (2017), where she also performed Mozart’s Piano Concerto in D Minor, K. 466 with orchestra
· First Prize at the 2024 Lancaster International Piano Festival Competition in Pennsylvania, USA
In addition to these achievements, Zheng is a regular presence at renowned festivals such as the Vivace International Music Festival and Chautauqua Music Festival, and she has given solo recitals in distinguished venues including Hatch Hall at Eastman School of Music, Muyin Concert Hall in Nanjing, and other concert halls across China and the U.S.
The evening reaffirmed the mission of the Bulgarian Music Society: to connect tradition with the new voices shaping the future of classical music.
Scarlett Zheng leaves a lasting impression with her poised stage presence and musical depth. We wish her continued inspiration, new artistic horizons, and the recognition she deserves on the world’s most prestigious stages.
by Nelly Tsoneva/ Krassi Genov