Zou Yu

Zou Yu is an accomplished violinist, concert performer, and dedicated educator who has performed around the world. She is a current member of the San Diego Symphony and has appeared at major international festivals including Verbier, Tanglewood, Aspen, and Lucerne.

Training and Education

Yu studied at the Oberlin Conservatory and the Yale School of Music, where she trained under esteemed mentors including Ani Kavafian, Milan Vitek, Glenn Dicterow, Lisa Kim, and David Kim.

San Diego Symphony and International Performance Career

Yu is a current member of the San Diego Symphony, where she previously served as Assistant Principal Second Violin from 2016 to 2017. From 2013 to 2016, she was also a member of the New Haven Symphony.

Throughout her professional career, Yu has performed at renowned venues worldwide, including Carnegie Hall, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Shanghai Concert Hall, Markin Hall in New York City, the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen, Château de Fontainebleau in France, and Scotch College Symphony in Australia.

She has collaborated with distinguished artists such as Yo-Yo Ma, Lang Lang, Simon Rattle, Pierre Boulez, Valery Gergiev, and Jason Manz.

Teaching at K&M Music School

Yu has been teaching violin since 2010 and brings the rigor of her conservatory training to every lesson. Her students have made concert debuts at major venues including Carnegie Hall and the Musikverein’s Golden Hall in Vienna, and have gained acceptance into top music conservatories.

At K&M, Yu teaches violin students from intermediate through advanced levels, as well as pre-college musicians preparing for competitions, auditions, and conservatory applications.

Teaching Philosophy

Yu believes in the power of music as a positive influence in her students’ lives. Her approach balances technical mastery with artistic expression — helping students develop not only the skills to play difficult repertoire, but also the musical voice to make it their own.