ZOU MENG

Zou Meng was born in 2002 in China. He started to play the violin at the age of 5. From 2014 to 2020, he was studying at the Sichuan Conservatory of Music, under professor Li Kaixiang, where he made his stage debut along with Mark Gibson and SCOM Symphony Orchestra in 2013.

Competitions he has won include Hong Kong International Violin Competition 3rd prize (2015), National Youth Violin Competition 6th prize (2015), Chengdu Guangya International Violin Competition 6th prize (2019), Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music Concerto Competition (2022), Singapore National Piano and Violin Competition 1st prize (2023), Khachaturian 120th Anniversary International Violin Competition 1st prize (2023), Classic Violin Olympus International Competition Tokyo 3rd prize (2024), Alberto Lysy International Violin Competition 3rd prize (2024), and he was chosen as a candidate in the Joseph Joachim International Violin Competition in 2024.

Meng has appeared as a soloist with the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra of China National Opera House, Kunming Nie Er Symphony Orchestra, Sichuan Philharmonic Orchestra, SCCM Symphony Orchestra and Yong Siew Toh Conservatory Orchestra. He also took part in many masterclasses with well-known artists, such as Shlomo Mintz, Midori Goto, Vadim Gluzman and many others. Since 2020 he is studying at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music under the guidance of the renowned violinist and professor Qian Zhou.

Was there a specific moment or experience that made you realize you wanted to become a musician?

There wasn’t a single moment, but a series of quiet realizations. One of the earliest was hearing a live violin performance as a child. It made music feel alive, like it could speak without words. As I grew and played more seriously, I found a sense of freedom and clarity that nothing else gave me. Over time, I knew this wasn’t just a profession, but a way of life.

When you perform, what do you hope to communicate or make the audience feel?
I want to create a space where people can feel something real: joy, sorrow, stillness, or connection. It’s not about showing something, but about offering something honest. My hope is that the audience steps into the world of the piece and maybe discovers something in themselves along the way.

If you had to present yourself by playing a single piece from the entire repertoire, which one would you choose, and why?

I would choose Sibelius’ Violin Concerto. It captures both the emotional depth and intensity I aim for in music. There’s a raw, haunting beauty in it that feels deeply human. It’s not just a technical challenge, it’s a personal one, and it reflects the kind of musician I strive to be: honest, searching, and expressive.