January 2024 Winner: Oliver Zhang
This issue’s featured young artist award winner is Oliver Zhang, an 18-year-old trumpet player who graduated Blue Valley North High School in Overland Park, Kansas last spring. Oliver is currently a freshman trumpet performance major at Northwestern University where he is studying with David Bilger.
Oliver was born in Canada and moved to Shanghai, China when he was 5-years-old. While living in China, Oliver began playing the trumpet in 2nd grade and moved to Kansas with his family when he was in 5th grade. It was then that he began playing with the Fountain City Youth Brass Band in which he continued to play all through grade school and high school, performing on flugelhorn for three years and solo cornet for five years. In his first year with the Fountain City Youth Brass Band, Oliver won the North American British Brass Band Association (NABBA) youth solo competition. In 5th and 6th grade he also performed in the Kansas City Youth Symphony. Once he was in high school, Oliver performed with the Kansas All State Band and Orchestra for all four years of high school, he performed with the All National Honor Ensemble Concert Band for three years and he performed in his high school’s wind ensemble, jazz band, pit orchestra and full orchestra throughout that time.
Oliver first started studying trumpet with Dr. Jeff Curtin in 5-8th grade and during 9th grade he studied with Dr. Jen Oliverio. He participated in the semi-finals of the National Trumpet Competition Youth Division every year since 7th grade and he won the division in 2022, performing the first Peskin Concerto and he earned 2nd place in 2023 performing the first movement of the Tomasi Concerto. From sophomore through senior year of high school he studied trumpet with Dr. Keith Benjamin who was a huge reason for his success as he always encouraged him to play music and tell a story rather than just play trumpet. He taught Oliver many life lessons and introduced him to his network without reservation. Dr. Benjamin also brought him to UMKC trumpet related events and Kansas City Symphony performances. When speaking of Oliver, Dr. Benjamin says, “His strongest talent is an amazing ability to learn things as quickly and as thoroughly as anybody I've ever taught - he has an incredible knack for hearing an idea once, then just executing that idea from that moment on, without needing to come back to the issue.”
Oliver also credits his family as being a major supporter of him. As a young child, Oliver’s parents played classical music for him which fostered his love and passion for classical music. Throughout his development, his father pushed him to be the best he can, often sitting side-by-side with him as he learned piano and trumpet and his mother always supported his passions. Oliver says, “She's been there every single minute from start to finish, and she's been my strongest supporter in my music career. My parents have been the backbone of my life, and I am forever grateful for them.” Oliver is also very close with his older and younger brothers, David and Max, who are always there for him to offer support and encouragement. Oliver’s dream job would be to continue pursuing his passion for classical music by performing in a symphony orchestra.
Some of Oliver’s favorite trumpeters to listen to are Maurice Andre, Sergei Nakariakov, Giuliano Sommerhalder, Omar Tomasoni, Wynton Marsalis, Chris Botti and Eric Miyashiro. When he’s not practicing, performing or listening to trumpet, Oliver is a dedicated athlete. He has been swimming since 1st grade, competing on his high school swim team and making state for three years in a row. During his senior year, he and his teammates won the Kansas State Swimming Championship. As the January 2024 ITG Young Artist Award winner, he will receive a one-year complimentary membership to ITG. Congratulations Oliver!