The Royal College of Music: Nick Zhou (Pianist)

Dear Mrs. Grahame and Members of the Knights of the Round Table,

Thank you very much for supporting me during the 2023-2024 academic year through the Knights of the Round Table Award.

It has always been my dream to come to the world's number-one music college, the Royal College of Music. I am very honoured to have spent the most fulfilling 6 years at the RCM since 2018, I enjoyed every lesson and every performance here. In 2023-2024, it will be my last year at the RCM, in which I will be studying for the Artist Diploma Programme in Piano Performance, and I hope to complete all the courses during this year. At the same time, as a pianist, I would like to participate in more competitions and concerts to build up and improve my performance ability.

In the upcoming academic year, I will be taking part in some competitions such as The Vendome Prize and Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition. Meanwhile, I plan to play some recitals during Christmas and the summer holidays.

Thanks again for your support during my studies, and I hope that I will achieve more this year. I promise I will not regret you!

Yours sincerely,

Tianlang Zhou

Biography:

Born in Tsingtao, China, in 1999, Tianlang (Nick) began his piano studies at the age of 6 with Professor Yao Wang.

Formal Education:

In 2011 he entered the China Central Conservatory of Music, Middle School, on a three-year scholarship, where he studied with Professor Shao Dan.

In 2014 he began studying at the Imola Piano Academy, in Italy, where an exception was made to their policy on the age of admission, by allowing him to join the Academy and study with Professor Vovka Ashkenazy. During this period Nick had many lessons with Maestro Vladimir Ashkenazy.

In 2016 he moved to the UK to continue his studies with Professor John Byrne at the Wells Cathedral School on a full scholarship.

In 2018-2022 BMus studies at the Royal College of Music with Professor Norma Fisher and graduated with distinction.

In 2022-2023 he is now completing his MMus studies at the Royal College of Music with Professor Norma Fisher.

2023-2024 he is offered Knights of the Round Table Award at the Royal College of Music for the prestigious Artist Diploma Programme, with Professor Norma Fisher.

Tianlang (Nick) has been invited to play at many international piano festivals and has also gained inspiration from lessons and masterclasses with musicians such as Vladimir Ashkenazy, Vanessa Latarche, Mitsuko Uchida, Vovka Ashkenazy, Boris Petrushansky, Imogen Cooper, Steven Hough, Ashley Wass, Gabriel Kwok, Graham Scott, Ian Jones and Tamas Ungar.

His (international) piano competition successes include:

2008 1st Prize Toyama Asian Teenager Music Competition

2009 1st Prize Shan Dong Piano Competition

2009 1st Prize Sylvia Gigue International Music Competition

2010 1st Prize China Steinway Piano Competition

2012 3rd Prize China ‘Xing Hai’ Competition

2012 1st Prize ‘The Next Langlang’ International Piano Competition

2013 1st Prize China Beijing Music Festival

2014 2nd Prize Italy Imola International Piano Competition.

2015 1st Prize China Beijing Golden Bell Piano Competition

2017 2nd Prize Taunton International Young Musician Festival

2017 1st Prize Wales Gregynog Young Pianist of the Year

2017 1st Prize Wells Cathedral School Concerto Competition

2017 4th Prize Manchester International Piano Concerto Competition

2022 1st Prize RCM Kendall Taylor Beethoven Piano Competition

2023 3rd Prize BPSE 30th Senior Intercollegiate Piano Competition

He has performed across China and the UK, Italy, Poland and Austria. He has recently been invited to perform with the Manchester Camerata Orchestra and as a soloist at the Beijing Liszt Piano Festival, the Beijing International Music Festival, Imola International Piano Festival.