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Dylan Zhang, an 11-year-old pianist, is the winner of the 2025 Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra Arthur D. Montzka Young Artists Concerto Competition. Held on January 4, 2025, the competition featured 22 talented young musicians age 11 to 17. Zhang, the youngest participant, impressed the judges with his performance of Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15, mvt. 1: Allegro con brio, by Ludwig van Beethoven.
Additional Honorees
Runner-Up: Elle Cho, violin, age 16, from Park Ridge, Illinois
Honorable Mention: Aleksandra Radovic, violin, age 17, from St. Charles, Illinois
As part of this achievement, Zhang will perform with the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra at the Arthur D. Montzka Memorial Concert on Saturday, February 22, 2025, at 7:00 pm (please note earlier time). The concert will take place in the Boutell Memorial Concert Hall, Northern Illinois University Music Building, DeKalb, Illinois.
The concert program will feature:
• Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15, mvt. 1: Allegro con brio, by Ludwig van Beethoven, Dylan Zhang, piano
• Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92, by Ludwig van Beethoven
• A Hymn For Everyone, by Jessie Montgomery
• Easter Festival Overture, by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Students can enjoy free admission, making it an excellent opportunity to experience live orchestral music. The concert is sponsored in part by Annette and Jerry Johns.
A pre-concert talk with Linc Smelser, KSO music director and conductor, along with Dylan Zhang, will precede the concert at 6:00 pm, providing insights into the performance and an opportunity for attendees to ask questions.
For more information about the event, visit kishorchestra.org.
About Dylan Zhang
A 5th-grader at Roosevelt Middle School in River Forest, Illinois, Zhang is passionate about playing the piano and studies under the guidance of Sueanne Metz. In addition, he studies violin and plays in the school orchestra. He loves running cross-country, playing tennis, history, writing and coding.
Awards and Honors
Zhang’s extraordinary talent on piano has earned him numerous accolades:
• 1st Place: Illinois State Music Teachers Association (ISMTA) Competition (2023 Elementary Division, 2024 Junior Division)
• 1st Place: Music Festival in Honor of Confucius (2024)
• 1st Prize: Franz Liszt Center International Piano Competition (2024)
• 1st Place and Most Promising Young Pianist Award: Chopin with a View International Festival and Competition (2023)
• Gold Medalist: Grand Metropolitan International Music Competition (2023)
• 1st Place: Carmel Arts International Online Competition (2023)
• 2nd Place: Carmel Klavier International Competition (2024)
• 2nd Prize: London International Music Competition (2022)
• 2nd Place: Odin International Music Online Competition (2022)
• 3rd Place: Aloha International Piano Competition (2023)
• 3rd Place: Elevato Piano Competition (2023)
• A Winner: American Fine Arts Festival Competition (2022), culminating in a performance at Carnegie Hall
Zhang’s remarkable achievements continue to establish him as one of the most promising young pianists of his generation.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Boutell Memorial Concert Hall at Northern Illinois University, 140 Lucinda Ave, Dekalb, IL 60115-3081, United States,DeKalb, Illinois
Tickets
