Rising violin protégée Leia Zhu will be performing at Trinity College on Sunday afternoon (November 27) as part of Events at Trinity in the new Levine Building, recently opened by the Prince of Wales, now King Charles III.
Lauded for her musical maturity, expressive interpretations and impressive technical ability, 16 year-old British violinist Leia Zhu is widely recognised as a global star of the future.
Currently a student at St Edwards School in Oxford, she is also Artist-in-Residence with the London Mozart Players, where you will find her most weekends.
“That’s the beauty of making music. Each time it is different”
So it’s quite a coup for Events at Trinity to commandeer her to play Franck’s soaring Violin Sonata, as well as music by Schubert, Hindemith and Poulenc, in the new de Jager Auditorium, alongside Japanese composer and arranger Kaoru Wada. (Tickets at https://www.ticketsoxford.com/events/leia-zhu-kaoru-wada).
“It is fun!” she says, “that’s also the beauty of making music. Each time it is different.”
A student of the renowned Ukrainian-Israeli violinist Itzhak Rashkovsky, since Leia’s debut aged four, she has performed at prestigious festivals and venues in more than 15 countries around the world.
Trinity’s President, Dame Hilary Boulding, says: “We’re particularly thrilled to present Leia Zhu who, at just 16 years old, is making headlines worldwide. Leia is a student at St. Edward’s School in Oxford and is a rising star. She is going to perform some of the most beautiful violin works in the solo violin repertoire.”
Zhu‘s upcoming concert is part of Events at Trinity, a new public programme in the Levine Building running until June next year, which includes public talks by some of the Trinity College‘s world-renowned academics and fellows, a programme of classical music recitals from leading UK artists, and insight from experts into everything from gardening to the architectural legacy of Sir Christopher Wren in Oxford.
Upcoming musical performances include Jeneba Kanneh-Mason‘s piano recital on Sun 22 January, Iestyn Davies (counter tenor) and John Reid (piano) on Sunday February 5, Ailish Tynan (soprano) and Iain Burnside (piano) and Sunday May 7
And then garden designer and broadcaster Chris Beardshaw in March discussing his exciting new design for Trinity’s North Lawn, one of the most iconic views in Oxford.
Trinity is also featuring in Wren300 in April 2023 to mark the tercentenary of the death of Sir Christopher Wren. Wren’s extensive work in Oxford includes Trinity’s own Garden Quadrangle and Chapel which is hosting a weekend highlighting Wren’s life and legacy featuring The Georgian Group’s 2023 Symposium, an exhibition from Trinity’s own archives and a concert from Instruments of Time & Truth.
Dame Hilary adds: “The stunning new Levine Building, set in the College’s woodland garden, is a wonderful space that allows us to welcome the public into Trinity – particularly our neighbours in the local community.
“We’ve designed a programme which has something for everyone: talks, performances, discussions and debates. So if you have ever wondered about the range of work that takes place in Oxford’s colleges, come and experience it for yourself.”
Trinity Recitals presents LEIA ZHU & KAORU WADA on Sun 27 November at 2.15pm in the De Jager Auditorium, Trinity College, Broad Street, Oxford, OX1 3BH. Tickets at https://www.ticketsoxford.com/events/leia-zhu-kaoru-wada
Further information about the full season can be found here: https://www.trinity.ox.ac.uk/events-at-trinity
