Zhaolei Xie

Chinese Pianist Zhaolei Xie was a winner in the college division of the Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition, which led to his debut in Weill Recital Hall of Carnegie Hall in New York City in 2006. He also won the Bronze Medal in the 58th Wideman International Piano Competition. His other awards include the First place in the Young Artist Division of the Tourgee DeBose National Piano Competition in Baton Rouge; Second place in the Louisiana Music Teachers Association Collegiate Artist Competition of MTNA; Second prize in the piano division of Young Texas Artists Competition; the winner of Monroe Symphony Young Artists Competition and Texas Christian University Piano Concerto Competition.
Currently, Mr. Xie is the Master Collaborative Artist in Piano at the University of Southern Mississippi. Prior to working at USM, Mr. Xie was an accompanist in Southeastern Louisiana University and the Thurnauer School of Music of Kaplen JCC on the Palisades in New Jersey. Mr. Xie has collaborated with numerous musicians including Grammy-award winning chamber musician Andrew Pelletier, Italian international recording artist Elena Cecconi, Norwegian Tuba Soloist Øystein Baadsvik, and artists from Michigan State University, the University of North Carolina, the University of Memphis, Ball State University, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Spokane Symphony Orchestra, etc.. Mr. Xie is the designated pianist of Southern Saxophone Workshop and Southern Flute Festival and Competition at the University of Southern Mississippi. He has performed as a collaborative pianist with University of South Alabama Flute Studio at The Laidlaw Performing Arts Center; with singer Stacey Trenteseaux at Natchez Festival of Music, Stanton Guest House Concert Series, and St. Dominic Chapel in Jackson, MS. In addition to being a collaborative artist, Mr. Xie has performed piano solo concerts in Festival South in Mississippi, and Miller Recital Hall and Greenfield Hall in New York City. Mr. Xie has appeared as orchestral soloist with the Monroe Symphony Orchestra, Mid-Texas Symphony Orchestra, Texas Christian University Symphony Orchestra and Southeastern Louisiana University Chamber Orchestra. He has performed in master classes given by Leslie Howard , Yoheved Kaplinsky and Jose Feghali.
Mr. Xie received his piano training in Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, China and St. Petersburg State Conservatory of Music, Russia from 1993-2004. He earned his Bachelor’s degree with honors from Southeastern Louisiana University, where he was a student of David Evenson and Kenneth Boulton. Mr. Xie holds a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance from Manhattan School of Music, and Artist Diploma from Texas Christian University, where he studied with Marc Silverman and John Owings. He is a life member of PHI KAPPA PHI National Honor Society.