I acknowledge that the land that I work and live on is the land of the Kaurna people.
I sincerely pay my respects to them and their culture, values and beliefs;
and to elders both past, present and emerging
Music promotes harmony,
Harmony promotes love
Love promotes life
Life promotes music
Photo credit: Emma Luker
Zhao is an exciting and highly accomplished composer, musician, producer and teaching artist - with a heart for the community and touch of an artist. Simply a creative, she is one of South Australia’s most grounded artists as her initiatives, projects and collaborations have been heavily focused within South Australia. Her works often speak about the power of reflection, the strength that can be derived from one's introspection. Believing in accessible arts, Zhao's initiatives and performances also seeks to cross boundaries - artistically, culturally and socio-economically, often connecting with audiences of a broader background.
Her community initiatives began with founding School of Chinese Music & Arts in 2005, which is one of the first of its kind Australia-wide. It is also one of the pioneers in partnering with local councils to design programs for the ever-growing diverse demographics. Since 2015, her initiatives have been supported by Multicultural SA and various council on many occasions. With an understanding of the local community, her programs and works speak to families of all ages.
Artistically, Zhao has sought to experiment in different works each time. She has been commissioned by Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Nexus Arts, Art Gallery SA on various occasions, and her compositions have stretched from ensembles to orchestras, with a touch of classical, folk, jazz and improvisations. Fond of storytelling through music and art music, her music often tells of her beliefs and values in the power of introspection. Her works are mostly presented with ensembles - San Ureshi and Radial Quartet (and friends!). In recent years, as she also evolves into being a producer, her shows mainly speak of unison, harmony and cultural appreciation – supporting the well-being of our younger Asian-Australians as a focus. For such, she has been worked on various projects with Adelaide Festival Centre, Musica Viva, Brink Productions, Actnow Theatre & Nexus Arts.
Zhao has also been CAAP's Artist Lab x SA Co-ordinator, and is currently onboard ActNow Theatre as Treasurer.