Elizabeth Palumbo ’19: Felicia Zhu ‘17 is May’s Artist of the Month. Zhu is an accomplished musician, playing both piano and cello. She began playing piano when she was seven years old, and she feels that music is a method of expression. “I really like piano because it is an outlet for emotions and also a connection to the past,” says Zhu. “You can feel the different European cultures throughout the decades through the different music styles.” Felicia especially likes the Romantic Period of the mid to late nineteenth century and the Hungarian composer, Franz Liszt.
Zhu plays cello in The Episcopal Academy’s orchestra and piano in the chamber ensemble. She also plays piano at the Nelly Berman Music School. She has additional experience with both the violin and recorder, which she played while in elementary school. Zhu plays music solo and with others. She feels that playing in a group allows for positivity and team-building, and playing alone lets her display her individual musical style. “When playing in groups, you have to pay a lot of attention to the people around you, and it’s cool hearing different instruments come together,” shares Zhu. “However, I prefer solos, because with solos I usually dig deeper into the music, and I can come up with my own interpretation. It’s less restricted, in my opinion, as I can change the tempo however I want without having to make sure I’m together with other people.” James Finegan, Episcopal music teacher and Zhu’s orchestra instructor, adds that she is “a great solo pianist, but she’s also a great chamber musician. She really listens to other musicians; not a lot of young musicians are good at queuing in on what’s going on around them, but she’s very good at that.”
As one of the winners of the Dora Khayatt music prize in both 2014 and 2016, Zhu’s talents have been repeatedly recognized throughout the Episcopal community. On being chosen as artist of the month, Zhu’s friends and teachers have a few comments. Bella Merchant ’17 says, “She’s amazing, brilliant, talented, funny. Felicia really deserves this award; she is an amazing artist.” Finegan notes, “She has incredible musical maturity. She’s a very natural musician, super hardworking, and always incredibly prepared. I think she is very deserving of this honor. She does art, music, and the musical. She’s really been a joy to teach.”
Zhu has performed in numerous public venues, including a few at Carnegie Hall in New York. One of her most memorable performances was during Dora Khayatt in her freshman year. “The chapel floors were so slippery that the piano kept moving backwards as I played, and by the end of it I was nearly standing,” Zhu describes.
Zhu is happy to have the opportunity to play music because instruments have given her an “outlet for expression,” while also teaching her “discipline and focus.” Playing music has granted Felicia the gift of self-expression while also giving others the chance to listen and learn about music. “She’s just a phenomenal musician,” says Mr. Finegan. “She deserves this, definitely,” Bella concludes.