Kuang Zhou is a violist pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), studying with Brian Hong. He previously studied with Melissa Reardon in Bard College Conservatory of Music’s Graduate Instrumental Arts Program. He earned his bachelor’s degree in music performance at East China Normal University in 2024, where he studied with Dapeng Sun.
His work spans solo, chamber and orchestral performance. He appeared with The Orchestra Now (TŌN) under Leon Botstein in movements I–II of Telemann’s Viola Concerto in G major in 2025, and with the ECNU Symphony Orchestra in the first movement of Walton’s Viola Concerto in 2024. In October 2025, he served as principal viola of the Bard College Conservatory Orchestra in performances of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and the North American premiere of Tan Dun’s Choral Concerto: Nine at the Fisher Center and Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center.
His festival experience includes the Green Lake Festival of Music Chamber Music Institute and the Hangzhou Liangzhu International (Youth) String Festival. His string quartet received “Highest Honor” at the Schubert International Music Competition in Moscow in 2023. At his May 2025 recital in Bard’s Olin Hall, he premiered his original Sonata Introduction for Viola and Piano, dedicated to Melissa Reardon.
Music, shared.
Selected honors include First Prize in the ECNU Concerto Competition (2023), Highest Honor for string quartet at the Schubert International Music Competition (2023), and the Organizing Committee Grand Prize for viola at the Baiyulan International Music Festival (2021).
- Viola Concerto in G major, TWV 51:G9
- Movements I–II
- Sosnoff Theater, Fisher Center
This is a condensed version of my repertoire list. Please see my Press page for the full list.
Concertos
Telemann — Viola Concerto in G Major, TWV 51:G9 · Walton — Viola Concerto · Hindemith — Der Schwanendreher · Stamitz — Viola Concerto in D Major, Op. 1 · Hoffmeister — Viola Concerto in D Major · Bartók — Viola Concerto, Sz. 120 / BB 128 (op. posth.) · Mozart — Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat Major, K. 364 · Saint-Saëns — Cello Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 33
Viola and Piano
Brahms — Sonata in F Minor, Op. 120 No. 1 · Brahms — Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 120 No. 2 · Bruch — Romance in F Major, Op. 85 · Bowen — Sonata No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 18 · Schubert — Sonata in A Minor, D 821 “Arpeggione” · Stamitz — Sonata, Op. 6 · Zhou — Sonata Introduction for Viola and Piano
Unaccompanied Viola
Bach — Six Suites for Solo Cello, BWV 1007–1012 · Hindemith — Sonata for Solo Viola, Op. 25 No. 1 · Campagnoli — Caprices, Op. 22
Chamber Music
Haydn — String Quartet in C Major, Op. 33 No. 3 · Dvořák — String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96 “American” · Beethoven — String Quartet No. 8 in E Minor, Op. 59 No. 2 “Razumovsky” · Arensky — String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 35 · Bach — Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 in B-flat Major, BWV 1051 · Bach — Concerto in C Minor for Oboe and Violin, BWV 1060 · Loeffler — Two Rhapsodies for oboe, viola, and piano · Mozart — Concertone in C Major, K. 190
