The Concert Truck is a mobile music venue that strengthens communities by redefining the concert experience and making live music accessible to all. Led by Artistic Director Susan Zhang, the project aims to engage diverse communities and audiences nationwide with thoughtful, timely programming, and works with arts organizations of all sizes to build a critical presence in their communities. The Concert Truck is a 16-foot box truck and a fully functioning mobile concert hall, complete with lights, sound system, and piano. Susan and the truck have toured across the country, partnering with arts organizations to strengthen their presence in the communities they serve by presenting concerts in city streets, music and arts festivals, schools, neighborhoods, parks and beyond…anywhere you can think to park a truck.
In addition to sharing original programming with local communities, The Concert Truck strengthens relationships between arts organizations and the communities they serve. The Concert Truck has partnered with the Kennedy Center’s Washington National Opera, Aspen Music Festival & School, Seattle Chamber Music Society, Southeastern Piano Festival, Piano Cleveland, Hilton Head International Piano Competition, and Dallas Symphony Orchestra to share music and build new audiences with their local communities and has featured guest artists such as James Ehnes, Lawrence Brownlee, Shaun Martin, and Jerome Lowenthal.
The Concert Truck created an online children’s show in partnership with the Four Seasons Chamber Music Festival that has been presented to over 55,000 students in North Carolina schools. The Concert Truck has also worked with major music institutions such as Rice University and New World Symphony to mentor young artists in community engagement and entrepreneurship.
SUSAN ZHANG
Acclaimed as a pianist with “astounding musical authority” (Columbia Free Times), Susan Zhang made her orchestral debut at the age of twelve with the Augusta Symphony. She has since been featured as a soloist with the South Carolina Philharmonic, the Aiken Civic Orchestra, the University of South Carolina Symphony, and the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra. She has performed in Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre and Woodruff Arts Center as well as numerous other venues in North America, Europe, and Asia. Her recordings have been featured on SC Public Radio.
Susan was a prizewinner of the Thousand Islands Chopin Competition, the Bauru-Atlanta Competition, the Burgos International Music Festival Competition, the Arthur Fraser International Piano Competition, South Carolina MTNA Young Artist Competition, and the University of South Carolina Concerto Competition. Her summer festival appearances include Pianofest in the Hamptons, the Banff Piano Master Class, Burgos International Music Festival, the Southeastern Piano Festival, and Brevard Music Center.
Susan is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music, Peabody Conservatory, and the University of South Carolina. Her primary teachers have included Marina Lomazov, Joseph Rackers, Enrico Elisi, and Boris Slutsky. Susan currently serves on faculty at the Gilman School and Peabody Conservatory.
04.06.21
