About Vincent Zhang
Vincent Zhang
Vincent Zhang (he/him, b. 2006) is a Canadian composer from Vancouver, British Columbia, currently based in New York City. He is pursuing undergraduate studies in composition at The Juilliard School under the mentorship of David Serkin Ludwig, Dean and Director of the Music Division. As one of the very few Canadian composers ever admitted to Juilliard’s undergraduate composition program, Vincent is proud to be the youngest composer in history to win both the Juilliard Orchestra Competition and the Juilliard AXIOM Competition.
His orchestral work Shaman on the Moon was premiered by the Juilliard Orchestra at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall in 2025. As part of the AXIOM prize, his Juilliard-commissioned work for soprano and chamber orchestra, The Iron Mass, was premiered at Lincoln Center the following year as part of The New Series 2025-2026 season. In addition, as part of The New Series, Vincent was commissioned by the Juilliard Music Division to compose a new song cycle for Pride Songbook Vol. 3, celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community at Juilliard. These achievements make him the youngest Canadian composer in history to be honored by Juilliard with two orchestral premieres and two formal commissions.
Raised in Vancouver, Vincent positions himself as an advocate for a new generation of innovative Canadian new music on the global stage. His work challenges ingrained assumptions and facile generalizations, interrogates both individual and collective forms of idolization, and consistently adopts a critical stance toward dominant systems of power. Vincent is Dedicated to exploring the essence of modern vitality and the untapped potential of the human spirit through contemporary music, Vincent draws inspiration from his upbringing and a deep spiritual connection to the vast landscapes of the North Shore Mountains. He crafts new, instinctive soundscapes that reflect his unique artistic vision.
Beyond composing concert music, Vincent is a passionate advocate for interdisciplinary collaboration, engaging across a wide range of artistic disciplines. In 2024, he was selected as the principal sound artist for James Turrell’s installation exhibition at the Center for International Contemporary Art (CICA). His work also extends into dance, having collaborated with choreographers and dancers from Lamondance, who have set several of his chamber works to movement, including his 30-minute symphonic ballet.
Vincent has worked with, and received commissions and performances from renowned ensembles including The Juilliard Orchestra, the AXIOM New Music Ensemble, Ensemble Dal Niente, Tacet(i) Ensemble, The Rhythm Method, West Coast Symphony Orchestra, Amsterdam Brass Quintet, Loadbang Ensemble, Brightwork New Music Ensemble, the University of Saskatchewan Wind Orchestra, as well as various local chamber groups, choirs, and musicians across Canada and the United States. His compositions have been performed at esteemed festivals, including the Bowdoin Music Festival, Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival, Lake George Music Festival, Mostly Modern Festival, INTACT Festival (Thailand), Impulse New Music Festival, Divergent Studio, DMICS - Del Mar International Composer Symposium, and the Zodiac Academy and Festival (France).