Violist Zhenwei Shi and bassist Michael Banks join the orchestra from posts in Atlanta and Los Angeles respectively
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) has announced the appointment of two new string players: principal viola Zhenwei Shui and assistant principal bass, Michael Banks. In addition, Julia Harguindey has also been appointed as the orchestra’s principal bassoon.
Zhenwei Shi joins the PSO from the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, where he was appointed as principal in 2019 at the age of 23. He has also played regularly with the San Francisco Symphony and Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Shi assumes the Cynthia S. Calhoun Principal Viola Chair.
He received the first prize of the 2010 International String Players Competition in Hong Kong and third prize in the 2014 Johansen International Young String Players Competition in the US. He was also awarded the special jury prize at the 2016 Lionel Tertis Viola International Competition. In 2022, he was elected Associate of the Royal Academy of Music by the RAM Honours Committee.
Double bassist Michael Banks officially joined the orchestra at the end of May with a performance of Brahms Symphony no.4. He is a graduate of the Juilliard School in New York and the Colburn School in Los Angeles, from which he received his master’s degree and went on to play with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra.
The PSO’s music director Manfred Honeck commented that the musicians ‘bring a passion and energy to their playing that will add to the vitality of our great orchestra. They continue a long line of incredible players in Pittsburgh.’
Read: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra appoints principal double bass
Read: RSNO welcomes back assistant principal viola
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