2026 American Viola Society Festival: Signature Artist, Emad Zolfaghari
Emad Zolfaghari
Described as “An enthralling young viola soloist overflowing with imagination and conviction” by the Violin Channel, Canadian violist and VC artist Emad Zolfaghari recently came to international attention after being the first ever Canadian to be awarded first prize and audience prize at the 2024 Primrose International Viola Competition. He additionally was awarded third and special prize at the 2025 Tokyo International Viola Competition. Emad was accepted into the Curtis Institute of Music at age 16, where he currently studies with Hsin-Yun Huang. Hailed as one of CBC music’s “30 under 30 hot classical musicians,” and awarded Charlotte White’s Salon de Virtuosi Career Grant in 2024, Emad is also the first prize winner of the Irving M. Klein International String Competition and the International Morningside Music Bridge Competition, second prize winner of the Johansen International String Competition and third prize winner of the Concours OSM String Competition.Emad has appeared as a soloist with several major symphony orchestras, including l’Orchestre Métropolitain under the baton of Yannick Nézet-Séguin, the Montreal Symphony, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Tokyo Philharmonic the National Philharmonic, the Oakville Chamber Orchestra, the National Metropolitan Philharmonic, the Master Sinfonia Chamber Orchestra, and the Santa Cruz Symphony. He has given recitals across Canada, the United States and Japan. He was also featured as artist in Residence for the Performance Today Radio Show with Fred Child at Minnesota Public Radio in 2025.
In his earlier years, Emad studied at the Phil and Eli Taylor Performance Academy for Young Artists on full scholarship with Theresa Rudolph. He has attended renowned summer music festivals such as Morningside Music Bridge, the Center Stage Strings festival as a junior faculty member, the Perlman Music Program, Four Seasons Chamber Music festival, Music from Angel Fire, Cleveland ChamberFest, ChamberFest West, Music in the Vineyards and the Marlboro Music Festival. Emad performs on a fine 1700 Matteo Goffriller viola on generous loan from the Rachel Barton Pine Foundation and a Eugène Sartory bow on generous loan from CANIMEX, inc.