Huizi Zhang
About
Dr. Huizi Zhang is an active performer of solo and chamber music in the United States and abroad. She embraces a wide range of repertoire and styles, particularly interested in 21st century music. She has continued to pursue critical solo performance opportunities, including a recent recital that encompassed the premiere of several compositions, at Carnegie Hall Weill Recital Hall, National Sawdust, The DiMenna Center of Classical Music, ShapeShifter Lab, Opera Center America in New York City, and N’Namdi Center for Contemporary Art in Detroit, MI. She is also a dynamic performer as a chamber musician and accompanist. She gave successful concerts with her piano trio at Collage Concert in Michigan, and her piano duet Duo One with Russian pianist Tatiana Gorbunova in Florida.
Her primary piano professors include David Kalhous, Joel Hastings, Logan Skelton, and Zhihong Guo. Additional studies and master classes have been with Christopher Harding, Amy I. Cheng, Boris Slutsky, Daniel Shapiro, Natalya Antonova, and Sergei Babayan. As the winner of the National Research Project Foundation, she received four-year National Scholarships and National Aspiration Scholarships for her Bachelor’s degree from Central Conservatory of China; received Master’s degree in Piano Performance and double degree in Chamber Music from University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; earned a doctoral degree in Piano Performance at Florida State University College of Music in 2018. She also received full scholarships during her studies in Florida State University where she started her DMA program in 2015. In 2016, she was selected as a member by the Honor Society of Music- Pi Kappa Lambda.
Dr. Zhang is also a skilled instructor. She taught secondary piano lesson and Jazz group piano class at Florida State University and teaches students privately. She has enjoyed 10 years of teaching experience working with piano students in a variety of settings both in the United States as well as in China. She instructed students pass ABRSM exams. She is also an active member of MTNA.
As a classical piano teacher, I try to be flexible with each student based on how they respond. Different personalities and different aged students require different treatment, whether it is with calmer instruction or more insistent direction. Although I strive to find the best method of teaching, no matter the student, I always try my best to be patient, positive, and honest.
When asking a student to perform a certain task, such a phrasing a line, I first allow them to attempt it on their own. If I want a little more, I will demonstrate it and see if they can replicate it. If it isn’t as successful as I’d like it to be, I break the idea down into smaller units. When I need to give specific instructions, I experiment with different methods, such as exercises that heighten aural awareness, mental image examples, or physical movements. One goal is to bring awareness of as many different sounds as I help them hear.
I believe in acknowledging improvement and mentioning specific positive feedback. I also try to adapt lesson plans to the goals of the student, while trying to push them further. If needed, I tell them what I expect for the next lesson to give them specific goals to achieve.
To keep students engaged, I ask questions; such as how they think they could improve, how they would want to express a phrase, or how does the music make them feel. I encourage my students to incorporate their ideas into their playing, and if they do not have their own ideas, I work toward pushing them in a direction of independent thinking.
My most important goal is to to find a way to connect the student with the music in a personal way, no matter what level their playing is at.