Past SVF Faculty
Zhang Ti
Born in Beijing, Zhang Ti studied violin with his father Zhang Hongxiang at age 6 and at age 17 was admitted into the Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM) when there was only one quota available, where he studied with Professor Lin Yaoji as well as professor Zhang Yunzhang. Four years later, he graduated as the only “straight A” student by then and started career as the soloist in China Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra. Two years later, he pursued further studies at Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto), Canada and Indiana University in the United States respectively with the world famous violin master and teacher Joseph Gngold, and also other violinists such as Yoval Yaron, Jame Laredo, Victor Denchenko.
Won the first prize in the competition in Canada Music Festival in February 1986, Zhang Ti was awarded with the “Prize of Excellent Youth” and the “Prize of Young Specialist” by the prime minister himself. Having been awarded in many international competitions within which the most exceptional experience is being the only Chinese prize winner in the 9TH Tchaikovsky International Violin Competition in 1990 held in Moscow in collaboration with Moscow Symphony Orchestra, Zhang Ti was later called by Soviet Radio Broadcast Station as “an young musician with a profound understanding of Tchaikovsky’s works and has promising future”.
Having performed successfully in recent years in Belgium, France, Finland, United States, etc. and held several concerts in Hong Kong, Taiwan as well as China Mainland, he was invited by CCTV to give a Live TV performance with a diffusion covering whole China. His performance which is accomplished with genuineness and passion is highly esteemed. With his interpretation of Bach’s Violin Sonatas and Partitas, he was recognized as “the most skilled young instrumentalist” by Quarterly Review of Music of North America.
As a descendant of Eugène Ysaÿe with whom his teacher Gngold studied, in the year 2004, Zhang Ti performed all the 6 Sonatas for solo violin of Ysaÿe in one concert while touring in north America and China which was credited by north American review as an incredible deed. In 2010, Zhang Ti also held recital concerts performing Bach’s Violin Sonatas and Partitas successfully.
Former teacher in north York music school, Canada and Conservatory of Toronto, Canada, Zhang Ti became in 2004 the professor of violin at CCOM. Since 2005, his students won prizes in many competitions, e.g. 1st prize in teenage group of the National Violin Competition for youth and teenager, silver award and 3rd prize of teenage group in CCTV violin competition, gold and silver award of the 10th National Violin Competition for youth and teenager in 2012, 1st prize in German International Competition for youth and teenager. Zhang Ti was credited as the “prominent teacher” issued by the Administration of Education for five times and now engaged as the head of the violin teaching and researching section of CCOM middle school.