Kevin Zheng holds a Certificate in Advanced Orchestral Conducting from Juilliard Extension, master’s degrees in Violin Performance and Biostatistics from Yale University, and a bachelor’s degree in Violin Performance from Rice University.

As music director of the New Haven Chamber Orchestra, he championed the repertoire of lesser-known composers such as Duparc, Weiner, Gail, and Holmes, as well as seldom-heard chamber works of well-known composers such as Schubert, Saint-Saëns, and Rossini. Highlights included the Connecticut premiere of Louise Farrenc’s Symphony No. 1 and leading the Brahms Double Concerto as both violin soloist and conductor. He also revived the orchestra’s side-by-side program, bringing New Haven Public School students to perform alongside the orchestra for the first time since the pandemic.

His artistic approach has been shaped by his work with renowned conductors and educators including Peter Oundjian (Yale), Larry Rachleff (Rice), Osmo Vänskä (Minnesota Orchestra), Giancarlo Guerrero (Nashville Symphony), Mark Shapiro (Juilliard Extension), and Markand Thakar (Baltimore Chamber Orchestra).

As a violinist, Kevin studied with Syoko Aki, Kathleen Winkler, and Kevin Lawrence. Praised by the Classical Voice of North Carolina for his “amazing technical competence, musical sensitivity, and commanding stage presence,” he was selected to compete in some of the world’s most prestigious violin competitions, including the Menuhin International Violin Competition and Stradivarius International Violin Competition.

‍