Chinese conductor Chunyi Zhao has built her musical path across three countries, from early violin studies in China to conducting training in Singapore and Germany. She is currently a Konzertexamen student at the Hochschule für Musik Saar, developing a career that encompasses both symphonic and operatic repertoire.

Born in Shenyang, Chunyi began studying violin at a young age and received her musical education at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. In 2013, a full scholarship brought her to the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music at the National University of Singapore, where a growing fascination with the role of the conductor gradually led her in a new artistic direction. She later studied conducting at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin with Christian Ehwald and Markus Stenz before continuing her studies in Saarbrücken.

Chunyi won Third Prize at the International Jeunesses Musicales Conducting Competition in Bucharest and has received scholarships from the Deutschlandstipendium and Forum Dirigieren. Alongside her studies, she has gained experience across a wide range of orchestral and operatic projects, conducting the Bremer Philharmoniker, the Xi’an Symphony Orchestra, and orchestras at Theater für Niedersachsen.

Her work with conductors including George Benjamin, Kent Nagano, and Markus Stenz has provided valuable insights into different approaches to repertoire and artistic leadership. Recent projects have included engagements with the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie, the Hamburg State Opera’s tour of China, and a production of Wagner’s Siegfried in Hangzhou.

Drawing on musical experiences across Asia and Europe, Chunyi brings an international perspective to her work and continues to refine a musical voice shaped by curiosity, versatility, and a deep commitment to the collaborative nature of music-making.