Michelle Zhang, Junior Major Recital, oboe

Fantasy Quartet (1946) by Ernest John Moeran (1894–1950)
     Michelle Zhang, oboe
     Bradley Gober, violin
     Delia Zacks, viola
     Coco Wicks, cello
Sonata for Oboe and Piano, Op. 55 (2009) by Stefan Heucke (b. 1959)
         I. Nicht schnell, aber in fließender Bewegung (Not fast, but with flowing motion)
         II. Schnell, hart, hämmernd (Fast, hard, hammered)
         III. Sehr langsam (Very slowly)
     Michelle Zhang, oboe
     Young Whun Kim, piano

Biography

Michelle Zhang is a third-year student from St. Louis, Missouri, pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Music Performance at Washington University in St. Louis. Michelle began playing the oboe at age 11. At WashU, Michelle has been the principal oboist of the WashU Symphony Orchestra and Wind Ensemble, a member of several chamber ensembles, and a winner of the 2023–2024 Friends of Music Concerto and Aria Competition. Michelle currently studies oboe with Nadia Para, having previously studied with Claire Workinger, and has also received additional instruction from Dr. Sara Fraker of the University of Arizona and Tucson Symphony Orchestra.

Thank You

Thank you, Claire, for all that you shared with me during our lessons. The generosity with which you passed on your tools for oboe, music, and life brought me here.

I am also deeply grateful to all in the Washington University Department of Music who have been involved in my musical journey. Thank you for the extraordinary support you have given me. I am especially grateful to Amy Greenhalgh, Kimberly Jeong, and Chris Becker for always encouraging and believing in me.

Finally, I am most indebted to my foremost role models, Jo Nardolillo and James Nacy. The amount of wisdom and generosity they shared in a brief time profoundly shaped my development and remains a continual source of inspiration for the kind of person I want to become.