Ryan Zhu, pianist

Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in music and who or what have been the most important influences on your musical life and career?

Here I must say my parents, in two different aspects. My mother was and still is a great lover of music, even long before I was born. In the most material sense, it was her that put me into music lessons – but more importantly, I learned over time from her how to love and dedicate myself to my craft. My mother has one of the most sensitive and intuitive ears I have come across – even amongst musicians! She used to accompany me to every lesson I had – often sitting in the room with her own copy of the music, making her own notes. Those were by far much more useful than my own scores and notes!

My father is not as musically inclined – but from him I learned (and still do!) the importance of humbleness, hard work, willpower, and mental fortitude. He is the most hardworking person I know – and though he is not as musically involved, his steadfast, calm and silent support gave me a great deal of what I needed to find my own right path.

What have been the greatest challenges of your career so far?

Gaining my own confidence in my musical ideology – and crucially, constantly checking that I have done the necessary work to gain confidence, as opposed to arrogance. It’s a fine line in music. For a long time I was always afraid of believing in my intuition – as I knew I didn’t have what was necessary to back it up. But when I started developing my own beliefs, my own voice – the challenge became something that I relished more than feared, because I knew that I could move forward in my development, despite this journey being never-ending.

In short, what I am doing in my practice will always be my greatest challenge – but that in and of itself is rewarding.

Which performances/recordings are you most proud of?

At this point in time, my performances at the Hastings stand out to me – because it was the first time I performed with complete trust in my own ideas, believing in my own voice and the set of musical and artistic truths I had arrived at in the past year.

They are meaningful because they represent a lot of my own work. Of course my mentors helped me refine my playing. But importantly for me, I felt this was one of the more successful times that I was able to present something from my own true voice and spirit at the instrument.

Which particular works/composers do you think you perform best?

Works that I believe have a deep sense of catharsis. To reckon with that aspect of human nature is to reckon with the flaws inherent in myself and those of the composer who wrote it. It reminds me of the very human aspect of music – and that the beauty of musical expression comes very much from human imperfection.

Yearning, remembrance, melancholy, defiance, struggle, beauty within pain – those I like to play with in my music.

What do you do off stage that provides inspiration on stage?

Running to refresh my mind and body; reading novels to explore new perspectives and possibilities in imagination; cooking for both spontaneity and precision; and quite importantly, sometimes not doing or thinking about anything whatsoever!

That last one is so important because often when I play, there needs to be a complete sense of calm and peace in my thoughts coming through the music. No disturbances!

How do you make your repertoire choices from season to season?

I choose based on what works feel most meaningful. Often times there are parameters – for certain concerts there are specific categories; sometimes competitions have very specific requirements. For me parameters are fun to dance around, because I find my own flexibility and meaning within certain limits. Ultimately, there is always meaningful music for us to discover – after, it is simply necessary to create something special and deeply meaningful, regardless of the work.

Do you have a favourite concert venue to perform in and why?

No particular hall comes to mind yet – but I like playing in acoustically intimate, often darker spaces. It reflects my preference to practice in darker environments, because I feel that sound begins to transcend the auditory sense and becomes something tangible that surrounds all of us. It doesn’t need to be a smaller venue – but a venue where the softest, most intimate touch on the keyboard can be heard can be a miracle itself.

What do you feel needs to be done to grow classical music’s audiences?

I believe that one of the most meaningful characteristics of classical music is that the audience is as much musicians as the performers themselves. While we performers have the responsibility of creating unique and meaningful performances, the full potential of classical music can only be reached if the audience is willing to explore and receive the performer’s spirit through the music. Hence, I believe that it is imperative to grow the classical music base by showing people that there is much more to classical music than sitting in a concert hall; that, given the depth of its meaning, it is a continuous process of discovery both within and without the concert hall.

This is not to compel the entire human population to embrace classical music; rather, the aim is to give everyone the tools to understand how classical music is an active art on the part of both the performer and the audience, thereby demystifying the mysterious stigma surrounding classical music, and giving everyone the tools needed to delve deeper, should they be inclined to do so. 

What is your most memorable concert experience?

Now that’s a hard question. If they were successful performances, usually my most recent concerts, as they represent the best that I could have attained in that current moment.

I must admit, playing Prokofiev 2nd Concerto with the Royal Philharmonic was quite the experience. Rarely as a pianist can you feel such a sense of overwhelming raw emotion within the power and multitude of an orchestra. Given how personal this concerto was to me, being able to show what I believed the music spoke to me was a great, great privilege.

The second is a recital quite recently at the Yale School of Music, where I currently am. A much smaller audience – just my friends and colleagues from the School – and yet that recital was important to me. I felt that it was one of the first times I had presented a full recital with ideas that had fully germinated from myself, without feeling I had to compromise my thinking. And, most importantly, I felt at peace with how I presented the program, and in how convincing the execution was – even though I knew there were improvements that I would want to make. The first half ended with Schumann’s Kinderzenen, Op. 15 – a particular highlight, as it truly highlighted my love of the intimate, and of the wistfully remembering.

As a musician, what is your definition of success?

To be completely aware of my own personality as a musician, and to be able to create special music by combining my own personality with how my ears truly hear and feel the music. To create special, genuine music I simply must listen intensely – and from there, the magic begins to reveal itself little by little, one idea at a time.

If I am able to consistently present these kinds of performances and music with audiences, and thereby affect their spirits in some way, however small or large – this is my ultimate goal; and to continue looking to increase my ability to do so.

What advice would you give to young/aspiring musicians?

Firstly (and very importantly) have people around you that you can trust to guide you through this complicated, messy, beautiful world of music. Of course this is also the responsibility of those around you – but finding a mentor who is dedicated and willing to give you the time and work you need is so important. After all – there are no such things as shortcuts. The right mentors will show you the ropes – they will guidd the technique that you need, and start opening your ears and imaginations.

But – and this is also very important – question everything. Strive to understand everything – and in doing so, you will slowly build your own palette of colours and imaginative scenes in your mind. And also at the same time – use your intuition. Every musician with great potential has intuition within them that, under ideal circumstances, will be changed and developed, growing more and more mature. Try everything – and try to make what you try natural to your ear, and to how you feel. Only by trying as much as you can will you be able to make something which has been tempered by all of your efforts into something which is genuine, honest, and special. Stay humble! That’s very important in our line of work. There is always an element of ego in what we do, but it needs to be supported by that which is honest work.

When you experience tough times, and you’re not sure where to head – that is rarely the end of the world. Growth is never linear – and to suffer is as human as to breathe. You will grow, if you can find the strength to look for the truth – especially your own musical truth. When you begin to find your own way and your own voice, you will know. Never stop looking for that! Our development never ends. The most that we can say is whether we played a recital or work in the only way we possibly could in that current moment.

What’s the one thing in the music industry we’re not talking about which you think we should be?

1. The importance of including the audience as a part of music. They want to engage with the music too – so let’s tell them, as champions of this music, how to do so, and to show them that they can.

2. The importance of personal differences and unique qualities in our performances. We have so many different genres and musicians for a reason – we should be able to hear completely different ways of playing things that are genuine and honest!

3. The truly human (and therefore deeply flawed) side of music. Composers were human – they had flaws just as the rest of us. The most impactful and meaningful works that stay with us today are those that are often born out of a composers’ composing through those flaws. Let’s respect these great musical minds – but also remember that idolizing them is to begin to strip away their humanity. Since they were human, let us play their works as humans – with personal differences and convictions that show in well-developed and honest ways.

What’s next? Where would you like to be in 10 years?

Still performing and studying and growing! I love to perform, so I can’t see myself not performing.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

To have a life where I can play to my heart’s content! Discovering new things about music and myself is always a joy and privilege. 

But at the same time, I like my time away from the piano. I want to be able to do the things I love – reading, writing, seeing nature, and sleeping! Sleep is very important. I love sleep, and I need sleep. 

I also want to be able to spend some time with people that I care about. Maybe some of these people have not entered my life yet – but to be able to discuss meaningful and deep topics (music or otherwise) with these people is a huge part of my life.

What is your most treasured possession?

Nothing material – because frankly there’s too much to choose from. I find more comfort in emotions – people and experiences I have with people I care about that create meaningful and heartfelt emotions within myself.

What is your present state of mind?

 As always – multifaceted! As I write this – excited for recitals coming up. But also at the same time – thoughtful. In an hour, maybe wistful. Who knows? That’s the beauty and excitement of being human – we are sensitive beings that react to things around us, and ourselves.

Ryan Zhu is winner of the 2026 Hastings International Piano Competition. He makes his Wigmore Hall debut on Wednesday 6th May. Find out more