On March 28, Roberto Díaz, President of the Curtis Institute of Music in the United States, visited the Zhejiang Conservatory of Music (ZJCM). He will also perform as a violist with the ZJCM Chamber Philharmonia in the “Nostalgia” season concert. ZJCM President Wang Rui received Roberto Díaz and held discussions.

   Wang Rui extended a warm welcome to Roberto. After a brief introduction to the Chamber Philharmonia, the Orchestra Academy, and other distinctive talent development platforms and brand events like Hangzhou Contemporary Music Festival, Mr. Wang expressed that as an art university with the goal of “high-level excellence” in the new era, ZJCM has always adhered to the principle of openness in education and emphasized conducting international exchanges and cooperation. The Curtis Institute of Music is a globally renowned music school, known as the “cradle of soloists”. It is committed to offering top-quality education to talented young individuals in music and boasts a plethora of esteemed alumni worldwide. Mr. Wang expressed his hopes for enhanced collaboration between the two schools in the future. He suggested that the Curtis Institute of Music send students and faculty specializing in composition, orchestration, piano, and vocal studies to ZJCM for academic exchanges and joint performances. He also welcomed the idea of sending renowned musicians and excellent teachers from the Curtis Institute to collaborate with the Orchestra Academy at ZJCM.

   Roberto expressed his honor in visiting ZJCM, engaging in in-depth discussions with students during masterclasses, and participating in collaborative rehearsals with the Chamber Philharmonia. He gave high praise to ZJCM for its educational effectiveness and performance quality. He was particularly impressed by the professional standards of the Chamber Philharmonia and the Hangzhou Quartet. Roberto introduced the academic operations at the Curtis Institute of Music, mentioning their philosophy of promoting well-rounded artist development and sharing some lively examples from the talent cultivation process. He mentioned that the Curtis Institute of Music has a tradition of fostering international exchanges. Since 2008, they have initiated the touring project “Curtis on Tour”, which involves faculty, students, and collaborations with overseas alumni. To date, they have held hundreds of concerts in over 100 cities across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. He aspired for both parties to intensify collaboration in distinctive talent nurturing and performance platforms, fostering deeper exchange and cooperation between the two schools.