Chinese-American violinist Kevin Zhu returns with a recital that moves beyond pure virtuosity, presenting works by Brahms, Grieg, and Richard Strauss. Joined by pianist Thomas Hoppe, the program explores three distinct voices of the Romantic era through chamber music and violin favorites.

About the Performance

Winner of both the Paganini International Violin Competition and the Yehudi Menuhin International Competition, Kevin Zhu brings a program that focuses on Romantic repertoire rather than virtuosic showpieces. Instead of the Paganini works often associated with him, he has chosen music by Brahms, Grieg, and Richard Strauss, presenting three different perspectives on Romanticism in a single evening.

The first half opens with four of Brahms' Hungarian Dances arranged by Joseph Joachim, followed by Grieg's Violin Sonata No. 3. After the interval, the recital continues with Váša Příhoda's violin arrangement of the waltz sequence from Der Rosenkavalier before concluding with Richard Strauss' Violin Sonata in E-flat major.

Performers

Kevin Zhu — Violin

Kevin Zhu is a Chinese-American violinist who first gained international recognition after winning both the Yehudi Menuhin and Paganini competitions. A graduate of The Juilliard School, where he studied with Itzhak Perlman, he has performed at major venues including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Konzerthaus Berlin, London's Royal Festival Hall, Singapore's Esplanade, and China's National Centre for the Performing Arts.

He has appeared with Paganini's legendary "Il Cannone" violin, performed at the Moritzburg Festival, and has been praised for combining technical brilliance with expressive depth. Kevin Zhu performs on the c.1700 "ex-Petri" Antonio Stradivari violin, on loan from the Ryuji Ueno Foundation and Rare Violins In Consortium.

Thomas Hoppe — Piano

German pianist Thomas Hoppe is widely regarded as one of the leading collaborative pianists of his generation. He has worked with artists including Itzhak Perlman, Antje Weithaas, Vilde Frang, Tabea Zimmermann, Jens Peter Maintz, and Frans Helmerson.

A professor of Piano Chamber Music at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen since 2018, Hoppe is also the pianist of the ATOS Trio and has served as an official piano partner for major international violin competitions, including the Queen Elisabeth Competition, Joseph Joachim Violin Competition, Indianapolis Violin Competition, and Singapore International Violin Competition.

Program

Johannes Brahms (arr. Joachim)
Selection of Four Hungarian Dances, WoO 1

• No. 1 in G minor
• No. 9 in E minor
• No. 17 in F-sharp minor
• No. 5 in G minor

Edvard Grieg
Violin Sonata No. 3 in C minor, Op. 45

• I. Allegro molto ed appassionato
• II. Allegretto espressivo alla Romanza
• III. Allegro animato

Intermission

Richard Strauss (arr. Váša Příhoda)
Waltz Sequence from Der Rosenkavalier, Op. 59

Richard Strauss
Violin Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 18

• I. Allegro, ma non troppo
• II. Improvisation. Andante cantabile
• III. Finale. Andante – Allegro

Program subject to change.

Why Go

This recital offers the opportunity to hear Kevin Zhu in a program that showcases a different side of his artistry. Rather than focusing on technical fireworks, the evening explores Romantic chamber music through works by Brahms, Grieg, and Richard Strauss, with pianist Thomas Hoppe joining him for the full recital. For audiences interested in violin repertoire beyond the standard virtuoso showpieces, it presents a thoughtfully curated program performed by two internationally active musicians.