As a soloist, half of " Joint Venture Percussion Duo " and the sextet " Looptail ”, she is actively performing on world-class stages home and abroad. Her duo and herself were awarded multiple renowned international rewards including but not limited to, from the Princess Christina Concours, the Vriendenkrans Concours and the Het Debuut Concours. She is also a recipient of a grant of the Bernard Haitink Fund and the Emerging Artists Grant by the St. Botolph Club Foundation. Since 2015, she has been teaching at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam.
She was invited as a performer and lecturer on various marimba festivals, such as the Percussion Festival of the National Centre of Performing Arts in Beijing,China; International Marimba Festival in Tabasco, Mexico; Zeltsman Marimba Festival in Appleton and Arcata, U.S.; Samobor Music Festival, Croatia. During her performing tour to Netherlands on 2011, she joined the “Looptail”, a sextet chamber music ensemble, as percussionist.
Rachel received her Bachelors degree in 2010, graduating with honors from the Conservatorium van Amsterdam where she studied with Jan Pustjens, Peter Prommel, Nick Woud, Victor Oskam, Gustavo Gimeno, Mark Braafhart, Arnold Marinissen and Lorenzo Ferrandiz. She continued her studies at Boston Conservatory under worldwide renowned marimba artist Nancy Zeltsman, when she received not only the masters degree but also the artist diploma.
Rachel was born in Harbin, China on 1987. At the age of 3, she started learning piano and appeared on stage at age 6. After moving to Shenzhen with her family in 1996, she began studying marimba and piano under Song Yin and Wa Li. During her study in Shenzhen Arts School, she had attended various competitions and won prizes for her excellent performances on piano and marimba.
Rachel endorses Marimba One, currently based in Amsterdam (NL).
Click here for Laurent's Bio & Duo Bio
Biography -- Rachel Xi Zhang
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