Professor Peter Shi-xiang Zhang is a distinguished violin professor and pedagogue. He was born in Beijing, China, and received his education at the prestigious Shanghai Conservatory of Music, from where he graduated in 1956. After graduation, Professor Zhang went on to become a Violin teacher at the Shanghai Conservatory and received professorship, where he remained until his retirement in 1995. During his tenure, he introduced innovative ideas on the art of violin playing and translated numerous books on violin performance into the Chinese language, thereby contributing to the improvement of violin performance standards and the training of young violinists in China.
Professor Zhang's outstanding contributions to the field of violin teaching have resulted in several accolades being bestowed upon him. The late Lord Menuhin once lauded him as "one of the greatest teachers in the world." Professor Zhang was awarded a certificate for outstanding teaching by the Shanghai Conservatory in 1985 and a similar award for excellence in teaching by the Art and Literature Association of Shanghai in 1986. In 1994, he was bestowed with the highest honour by the Chinese Government for his excellent work in violin teaching in China. In the following year, he was selected as the best teacher by the Bao-Gang Educational Foundation and named one of "THE TOP TEN OF 1995" by the Shanghai Government.
Professor Zhang has been invited to serve on the jury panel of several international violin competitions, including the Bach International Competition in Leipzig in 1988, the Wieniawski Competition in Lublin, Poland, in 1988, 1994, 1997, and 2000, the International Violin Competitions in Schontal, Germany, in 1989, 1990, 1992, and 1995, the Yehudi Menuhin Competition in England in 1995, 1998, and 2000, the Novosibirsk Competition in Russia in 1995, 1998, and 2001, and the Krakow Competition in Poland in 1996. He has also been a member of the jury at the China National Violin Competitions.
Professor Zhang is a highly accomplished author and interpreter in the field of violin teaching. He has authored several violin teaching books, including the Zhang Multimedia Violin Method for Young Beginners, Violin The First 100 Days, Zhang Shixiang Progressive Violin Repertoire volumes 1 to 8, The Production of Primary Etude for Violin, and Conversation with Violin Professor Zhang Shixiang. In addition, he has translated numerous violin books into Chinese, such as The Way They Play by Samuel Applebaum, The Principles of Violin Playing and Teaching by Ivan Galamian, The Science of Violin Playing by Raphael Bronstein, A New Approach To Violin Playing by Kato Havas, Conversations With Yehudi Menuhin, How to Practice the Violin, The Great Cellists, and The Great Violinists by Margaret Campbell.
As a visiting professor of violin, he has conducted masterclasses all over the world, including in the United States, Australia, and Germany. His students have been highly successful in various international violin competitions, including winning first and third prizes at the Yehudi Menuhin International Violin Competition in England in 1983, first prize in 1985 and third prize in 1987, third prize in 1992, first prize in 1998, and fourth prize in 2000. His students have also won first and third prizes in the Wieniawski Competition in Lublin, Poland in 1985, fourth prize in 1994, second and fourth prizes in 1997, second prize in 2000, and two first prizes in the 4th International Competition in Kloster Schontal, Germany in 1992, third and fifth prizes in 1995, two fourth prizes in 1997, third prize in 1999, first and third prize in Russia in 1995, second prize in Russia in 1998, and first prize in the Krakow, Poland Competition in 1996. His students have also won second prize in the Gisborne Competition in New Zealand in 1997, second and third prizes in 1998, and second prize in 2000, as well as second prize in the 2nd Yampolsky Competition in 1999.
In September 1995, Professor Zhang and his pianist wife Hu Jian-ming immigrated to Australia under the "distinguished talent" category. He taught at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and the Australian Institute of Music. Since his arrival in Australia, his students have achieved remarkable success in both national and international competitions and awards, including the ABC Young Performer Award and the Yehudi Menuhin Violin Competition.
+ Started teaching in the Shanghai Conservatory of Music 1956
+ His students, Xiao-Dong Wang & Le Zhang won the first and third prizes in the Yehudi Menuhin International Violin Competition 1983
+ Awarded for outstanding teaching by the Shanghai Conservatory
+ His students, Xiao-Dong Wang and Le Zhang won the first and third prizes in the Lipinski and Wieniawski Inernational Competition for Young Violinsts in Lublin, Poland and 1985
+ Awarded for outstanding teaching by the Art and Literature Association of Shanghai 1986
+ His student, Xiao-Dong Wang won the first prize in the Yehudi Menuhin International Violin Competition 1985
+ His student, Zheng Qing won the third prize in the Yehudi Menuhin International Violin Competition and 1987
+ Being a juror in the Bach International Competition Leipzig
+ Being a juror in the Lipinski and Wieniawski Inernational Competition for Young Violinsts in Lublin Poland
1988
+ Being a juror in the International Violin Competitions in Schontal, Germany 1989
+ Being a juror in the International Violin Competitions in Schontal, Germany 1990
+ Being a juror in the International Violin Competitions in Schontal, Germany
+ His students, Zhi-Sheng Li and Wei-wei Le won two first prizes in the 4th International Competition in Kloster Schontal Germany
1992
+ His student, Wei Wei Le won the third prize in the Yehudi Menuhin International Violin Competition
1993
+ Awarded the highest honour for his excellent work in violin teaching by the Chinese Government
+ Being a juror in the Lipinski and Wieniawski Inernational Competition for Young Violinsts in Lublin Poland
+ His student, Zhi-Sheng Li won the fourth prize in the Wieniawski Competition in Lublin Poland 1994
+ Awarded " the best teacher" by the Bao-Gang Educational Foundation & "The Top Ten of 1995" by Shanghai Government
+ Being a juror in the International Violin Competitions in Schontal, Germany
+ Being a juror in the Yehudi Menuhin Competition in England
+ Being a juror in the Novosibirsk Competition in Russia
+ His students, Yang Xu and Cheng Gu won third and fifth prizes in the International Competition in Kloster Schontal, Germany
+ His students won the first and third prizes in the International Violin Competition in Russia
+ Professor Zhang and his pianist wife Hu Jian-ming migrated to Australia
1995
+ Awarded the highest honour for excellent work in violin teaching by the Chinese government
Started teach at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music
+ Being a juror in the Krakow Competition in Poland
+ His students won the second and fourth prizes in the Lipinski and Wieniawski Inernational Competition for Young Violinsts in Lublin Poland
+ His students won two fourth prizes in the International Competition in Kloster Schontal Germany
+ His student won the first prize in Krakow Poland Competition
+ His student won the second prize in Gisborne Competition, New Zealand
1996
+ Awarded the highest honour for excellent work in violin teaching by the Chinese government
+ Being a juror in the Wieniawski Competition in Lublin Poland
+ His students won the second and fourth prizes in the Wieniawski Competition in Lublin, Poland
+ His students won two fourth prizes in the International Competition in Kloster Schontal Germany
+ His student won the second prize in the Gisborne Competition, New Zealand
1997
+ Being a juror in the Yehudi Menuhin Competition in England
+ Being a juror in the Novosibirsk Competition in Russia
+ His student, Susie Park won the first prize in the Yehudi Menuhin International Violin Competition
+ His students won the second prize in the International Violin Competition in Russia
+ His students won the second and third prizes in the Gisborne Competition, New Zealand
1998
+ His student, Wei Wen won the third prize in the International Competition in Kloster Schontal Germany
+ His student, Wei Wen won the second prize in Yampolsky Competition
1999
+ Being a juror in the Lipinski and Wieniawski Inernational Competition for Young Violinsts in Lublin Poland
+ Being a juror in the Yehudi Menuhin Competition in England
+ His student, Chen Gu won the fourth prize in the Yehudi Menuhin International Violin Competition
+ His student, Wei Wen won the second prize the Lipinski and Wieniawski Inernational Competition for Young Violinsts in Lublin Poland
+ His student won the second prizes in the Gisborne Competition in New Zealand
2000
+ Being a juror in the Novosibirsk Competition in Russia
His student, Wei Wen won the fourth prize in Pablo Sarasate Competition in Spain
2001
+ His student, Ray Chen won the third prize in the Inernational Yehudi Menuhin Violin Competition
2004
+ His student, Ray Chen won the first prize in the Kendall National Violin Competition
+ His student, Jia Feng Chen won the second prize in Sibelius Violin Competition Helsinki
+ His student, Wei Wen won the third prize in Sibelius Internatioanl Violin Competition
2005
+ His student, Ray Chen won the first prize in the Inernational Yehudi Menuhin Violin Competition
+ His student, Ja Feng Chen won the second prize in the Inernational Yehudi Menuhin Violin Competition
2008
+ His student, Ray Chen won the first prize in the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition
2009