Samuel Zong is an award-winning Australian pianist and flautist with vast experience as a solo, chamber and orchestral musician.
Samuel was awarded both the Associate in Music (AMusA) and Licentiate in Music (LMusA) on the piano before the age of 14, and has received awards in numerous eisteddfods including the Boroondara Eisteddfod Piano Competition, where he received an Honorary Award alongside the Lions Club Legacy scholarship and recently the Scotch College Piano Competition, where he received first place. Samuel performed on radio station 3MBS (103.5 FM) as part of The Talent program and made his concerto debut playing Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1 at Hamer Hall in 2019.
On the flute, Samuel has also received both the AMusA and LMusA as well as the AMEB Leslie Barklamb Flute Prize. He was Principal Flautist of the Scotch College Symphony Orchestra from 2018 to 2020. He has toured the United States with the Orchestra, performing in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., New York and Boston.
As an avid chamber musician, Samuel is a member of various ensembles, including piano trios and duets. He has profound experience in the nuances of cooperative music-making. In 2020, his trio, the Scotch College Horn Trio, won the Bendigo Chamber Music Prize as well as placing third in the Musica Viva Strike a Chord Lockdown Legends Competition. Additionally, Samuel is a keen collaborative pianist, providing accompaniment to various flautists as well as woodwind, brass and string players as well as vocalists and choirs. He specialises in AMEB exams, high school scholarship music exams and VCE Music Performance. Samuel currently holds a valid Working with Children Check.
Samuel is an experienced piano and flute teacher who adapts and responds to every students’ different needs. With comprehensive experience in performance and recording, he has much to offer to students, regardless of their age or ability.
Samuel provides his students with valuable advice on how to tackle any AMEB exam. Since starting the piano at 5 years of age, his knowledge and experience in how AMEB exams are run is greatly sought after. Samuel also provides guidance to students on the required music theory and general knowledge. He also helps to prepare students for VCE Music Performance for both the performance and aural exams.
In his lessons, Samuel strives to bring out the best in his students. He ensures his students have a firm technique and also importantly a natural sense of rhythm, harmony, melody and tone colour. Samuel also lends prominence to the importance of working and blending in with fellow musicians, often playing together with students to achieve musicianship. His lessons are fun and enjoyable but also constructive.