Q. You made your first public appearance at the age of nine; tell us about it.
A. My performing career grew out from my student years. I made my first public appearance as soloist when I was nine years old, where I performed the Mozart violin concerto no.4 with the China Youth Orchestra at Beijing Concert Hall (at that time, it was the only major Classical music concert venue in Beijing). The following year, I went to Japan, where I made my international debut at the Mendelssohn violin concerto. I was accepted to the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing when I was 12. Then, at 16, I was awarded full scholarship to study at Mannes College of Music in New York. I made my Carnegie Hall debut at 18, performing the Tchaikovsky violin concerto.

33-year-old Chinese violinist Dan Zhu