Dr. Zach (Zihao) Yang

2nd Clarinet

Zach began his musical pursuit at the age of six on the clarinet. He studied at the Music Middle School Affiliated with the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts High School, the New England Conservatory of Music, and then the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Zach was instructed by many distinguished clarinetists, including Richard Stoltzman, William R. Hudgins, Alexander Fiterstein, Ron Aufmann, Ixi Chen, and Thomas Martin. During his studies, he won the Asia Pacific Bands Association Instruments Competition, the Piedmont Winston Symphony Concerto Competition, and the Raleigh Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition.

Prior to his appointment with the Niagara Symphony Orchestra, Zach served as the Second Clarinet and Principal E-flat Clarinet for the Kentucky Symphony for four seasons. Additionally, since 2022, he has been associated with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago as an Associate Clarinet Player. Zach was recently appointed as the Clarinetist of the National Centre for the Performing Arts Orchestra by Music Director Jia Lv.

As a teacher, Zach has extensively taught numerous students in North America and China. He previously worked as a clarinet teaching assistant for the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and the Faculty of New Arts Music Centre in Hong Kong. In his studio, students have been accepted to the Boston Conservatory of Music, the New England Conservatory of Music, Boston University, the University of Minnesota, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, the University of Miami, the Michigan State University School of Music, and the University of Georgia.