If you ask violist Emad Zolfaghari about his life goals, he’d likely say that more than anything, he aspires to be a dog owner. True; all of his career goals amount to the ability to earn enough income to one day be able to live independently as a proud owner of one, preferably two, dogs. Now that he is a Performance Today Young Artist in Residence, it would seem that he is well on his way to a successful future in music and dog ownership.
Canadian American Emad Zolfaghari started playing the viola in his school orchestra at age 10 after being captivated by its chocolatey, velvety sound. He later went on to perform as principal viola with the Toronto Youth Symphony Orchestra, and he began study at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at age 16.
Since that time, Zolfaghari has performed as a soloist with such orchestras as the Santa Cruz Symphony, the National Metropolitan Philharmonic, and the l’Orchestre Métropolitain under the baton of superstar conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin. He has also appeared at such festivals as Music from Angel Fire, Cleveland ChamberFest, Music in the Vineyards, and the renowned Perlman Music Program.
In 2024, the Violin Channel described Zolfaghari as “an enthralling young viola soloist overflowing with imagination and conviction”. 2024 was a banner year for Zolfaghari as in that same year, he became the first Canadian to ever be awarded both the first prize and the audience prize at the Primrose International Viola Competition, he was awarded a Charlotte White Salon de Virtuosi Career Grant and was named one of CBC Music’s classical “30 under 30” (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation).
Zolfaghari’s other awards include the Grand Prize at the OMNI Music Competition and first prizes at the Toronto Symphony, Guelph Symphony, and Oakville Chamber Orchestra Competitions. When he’s not performing, rehearsing, or practicing, you’ll most likely find Zolfagahri working on perfecting one of his grandmother’s French-Canadian dishes or caring for his two pet guinea pigs, Coco and Chi-Chi. Zolfaghari will begin his fourth year in the Bachelor of Music program in viola performance at the Curtis Institute of Music in the Fall of 2025.
Zolfaghari appears in these recordings with pianist Vivian Fan.
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