The Boston Symphony Orchestra has announced the appointment of JESSICA ZHOU as principal harp. She succeeds ANN HOBSON PILOT, who recently retired from that post following a 40-year tenure. A native of Beijing, Zhou goes to the BSO from New York City Opera, where she had served as principal harp since 2004. Three years before that she was the recipient of three prestigious prizes: the Prix du Jury in the Concours International de Harpe Lily Laskin (Deauville, France); fourth prize in the USA International Harp Competition; and second prize in the International Harp Contest in Israel. Zhou is an alumna of Interlochen Arts Academy, and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from The Juilliard School, where she studied with Nancy Allen. Also announced by the BSO was the appointment of DANIEL BAUCH as assistant timpanist/percussionist. He recently served for three years as assistant principal timpanist and percussionist with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Originally from Boxborough, Massachusetts, Bauch holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from The Juilliard School and Boston University, and was a Tanglewood Music Center fellow in 2001 and 2002. He is on the percussion faculty of Boston University Tanglewood Institute’s Young Artists Orchestra. Both Zhou and Bauch begin their tenures with the BSO at the start of its 2009-10 season on September 23.
Posted September 22, 2009
