Born in Dandong, China, Maestro Zhang Xian graduated from Beijing’s Central Conservatory with her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees. Winning the Maazel/Vilar conducting competition in 2002 effectively launched her career. She was appointed Assistant Conductor and later Associate Conductor of the New York Philharmonic. In 2009, she took up the post of Music Director of the Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi and was appointed Artistic Director of the Dutch Orchestra and Ensemble Academy (NJO) since 2011. Zhang works at the highest level as a guest conductor, appearing regularly with top orchestras in the world such as Los Angeles Philharmonic, Washington’s National Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra and Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.