Event
Zhu Plays Paganini
Naples Philharmonic Sypert Salon Chamber Music
Kevin Zhu, violin
Paganini — 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1
Violinist Kevin Zhu captured the world’s attention in 2012 when he won first prize at the Menuhin Competition at age 11. Since then, he has been recognized for his remarkable delicacy, wild intensity and shining musical fluency, whether performing as a recitalist or chamber musician. In this program, Zhu takes on one of the most formidable challenges in the violin repertoire, performing Paganini’s 24 Caprices for solo violin. Long regarded as a benchmark of technical mastery, the work demands extreme precision, while balancing dazzling virtuosity with vast breadth of expression.
The Sypert Salon Series is generously sponsored by Drs. George Sypert and Joy Arpin.
Kevin Zhu
Kevin Zhu
American violinist Kevin Zhu has emerged as one of the most compelling artists of his generation. A musician of brilliant technical command and uncommon narrative instinct, Zhu brings to the stage a rare synthesis of spontaneity, discipline and expressive depth. His playing has been praised for its “infinite delicacy” and “wild intensity” by RTBF Belgium, while L’ape musicale noted his “absolute virtuosity, almost blinding in its purity.”
The 2026-27 season marks a significant expansion of Zhu’s international profile, with major concerto appearances in North America, Europe and Asia. Highlights include his debuts with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and Hong Kong Philharmonic. His recital season includes appearances at Artis—Naples and the Dresdner Musikfestspiele, among others. Zhu also continues his collaboration with French composer Hugues Reiner, following the 2025 world premiere of Reiner’s first violin concerto in Paris.
Recent seasons have shown Zhu’s striking range as a storyteller. In 2025-26, he appeared with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in Bernstein’s Serenade, performed Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1 with the China National Symphony Orchestra in Beijing’s National Centre for the Performing Arts, and Waxman’s Carmen Fantasie with the Sofia Philharmonic in Bulgaria. He also brought Paganini’s complete 24 Caprices on tour in South Korea. For Zhu, the Paganini lineage remains a defining thread in his artistic life. He has performed on Paganini’s own violin, the legendary “Il Cannone” Guarneri ‘del Gesu’, and his performances of the 24 Caprices have become an evolving artistic project.
Zhu first gained worldwide attention at age 11, taking first prize at the 2012 Yehudi Menuhin Competition in Beijing. Six years later, at age 17, he won first prize at the 55th Paganini Competition in Genoa, Italy. He is also a recipient of the 2021 Avery Fisher Grant and has received further recognition from Salon de Virtuosi and the Queen Elisabeth Competition.
Zhu’s career has taken him to renowned halls and festivals across the globe, and as a committed chamber musician, he has collaborated with numerous artists, including violinists Karen Gomyo and Clara-Jumi Kang; and pianists Louis Lortie and Sunwook Kim, among others. Zhu performs on the c. 1700 “ex-Petri” Antonio Stradivari violin, on loan from the Ryuji Ueno Foundation and Rare Violins In Consortium, Artists and Benefactors Collaborative. You can follow him at kevinzhuviolin.com
