Harp, Percussion & Keyboard

Dean Zhang

Principal Keyboard

A dynamic and versatile pianist, Dean Zhang appears internationally in critically acclaimed performances.  He has been praised by The Miami Herald as “a powerful keyboard player” with a “smooth, fluid touch at the keyboard, bringing maximum expressiveness.”  Dr. Zhang has performed as a concerto soloist with the Canton Symphony, National Repertory Orchestra, New World Symphony, Southwest Florida Symphony, Tucson Symphony, and is the laureate of numerous competitions.

As former principal keyboardist for the Omaha Symphony, Dr. Zhang performed with the orchestra in more than 200 concerts and presentations during the 2015–2016 season.  He was a piano fellow with the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, Florida, and was invited for two summers as principal keyboardist with the National Repertory Orchestra in Breckenridge, Colorado.  In addition to his achievement in piano performance, Dr. Zhang is an accomplished organist and was featured with the New World Symphony as the organ soloist in Saint-Saëns’s Symphony No. 3.  Dr. Zhang joined the Tucson Symphony Orchestra as principal keyboard in 2018 and currently holds the same position with the Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra and the Canton Symphony Orchestra.

After two years of studying management science at Shanghai University, Dr. Zhang was granted a full scholarship at the University of Wyoming where he received his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees as a student of Dr. Theresa Bogard.  Under the tutelage of Paul Schenly and Kathryn Brown, he earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in piano performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music.  Dr. Zhang also studied extensively with Joela Jones, former principal keyboardist of The Cleveland Orchestra.  He splits his time in Tucson, Arizona, and Cleveland, Ohio, with his husband, clarinetist Ben Chen.  They perform together nationwide as the Edgewater Duo.