Dr. Jialiang Zhu
Since moving to Toronto in 2007, Chinese pianist Jialiang Zhu has become a dynamic force in Canada’s music scene—working as an educator, performer, researcher, concert curator and producer.
At the Royal Conservatory of Music, she holds three key roles: Chamber Music Faculty at the Phil and Eli Taylor Performance Academy for Young Artists, where she coaches student ensembles; Piano Faculty at the Oscar Peterson School of Music, teaching private lessons to students from kindergarten to adults; and collaborative pianist and coach at The Glenn Gould School, supporting instrumental and vocal students in lessons, recitals, recordings, and competitions. In 2025–2026, she serves as Sessional Lecturer for the Accompanying Class at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Music.
Jialiang is committed to fostering a lifelong connection to music in all her students, regardless of their age or background. She emphasizes strong technical foundations, musicianship, and appreciation for music from diverse cultures, while also teaching theory, sight-reading, improvisation, and introductory composition.
A seasoned classroom instructor, she has led the Undergraduate Keyboard Skills Class at U of T, taught group classes in the U of T Piano Pedagogy Program (ages 5–11), and instructed young learners at RCM’s Instrument Exploration Camp and the Yamaha WizzKidz School.
Beyond teaching, Jialiang is an active chamber musician and vocal coach, specializing in Chinese art song. As the pianist and co-founder of the Bedford Trio, she has performed across Canada, the U.S., and Germany, promoting both classical and contemporary works—especially those by emerging composers from diverse backgrounds. Her vocal coaching work includes collaborations with singers of various cultural traditions, performing Chinese repertoire at institutions such as the Canadian Opera Company, University of Toronto, University of Ottawa, University of Manitoba, Canadian Museum for Human Rights, and Beijing Central Conservatory of Music. Her doctoral research focuses on Chinese art songs based on ancient poetry. She has developed a diction manual and interpretive guide to support non-Mandarin-speaking singers in authentically performing this repertoire.
Jialiang completed her Doctor of Musical Arts in Collaborative Piano, Master’s in Piano Performance and Pedagogy, and Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance (Honours) at the University of Toronto. To learn more about Jialiang, please visit jialiangpiano.com or follow her @jialiangzhu_arts on Instagram.