Biography

Described as “An enthralling young viola soloist overflowing with imagination and conviction” by the Violin Channel, Canadian violist and VC artist Emad Zolfaghari 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. Laureate of many prestigious prizes that launched his career as a performing artist, Emad additionally won first prize at the Irving M. Klein International String Competition and the Morningside Music Bridge Competition, second prize at the Johansen International String competition, third and special prizes at the Tokyo International Viola Competition and third and audience prize at Montreal’s Concours OSM. 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’s earlier successes that launched his potential as an influential artist include Grand Prize at the OMNI Music Competition, and first prizes at the Toronto Symphony, Guelph Symphony, and Oakville Chamber Orchestra Competitions.

Emad has appeared as a soloist with several major symphony orchestras, including l’Orchestre Métropolitain in Maison Symphonique de Montréal under the baton of Yannick Nézet-Séguin, the Montreal Symphony, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in Roy Thomson Hall, the Tokyo Philharmonic in Kioi Hall, the National Philharmonic in Strathmore Hall, the Oakville Chamber Orchestra, the National Metropolitan Philharmonic, the Master Sinfonia Chamber Orchestra and the Santa Cruz Symphony, among others. He has given recitals across Canada, the United States and Japan at La Chapelle Historique du Bon Pasteur, the Gualala Chamber Music Series, Britton Recital Hall at the University of Michigan, Kioi Hall in Tokyo and more. 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, Assistant Principal Viola of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. In May 2023, Emad served as principal viola for the Curtis Symphony Orchestra on their West Coast Tour. Emad was also selected for Curtis On Tour in February - March 2024, touring the United States as a string sextet with distinguished faculty and alumni. In 2025, Emad was invited to take part in Morningside Music Bridge on Tour, Performing in the UK with distinguished faculty and alumni. He has attended renowned summer music festivals such as the Marlboro Music Festival, Cleveland ChamberFest, ChamberFest West, Music in the Vineyards, Morningside Music Bridge, the Center Stage Strings festival as a junior faculty member, the Perlman Music Program, Four Seasons Chamber Music festival and Music from Angel Fire, among others. Emad performs on a fine 1700 Matteo Goffriller viola on generous loan from the Rachel Barton Pine Foundation and a 1786 Lorenzo Storioni viola and Eugène Sartory bow on generous loan from CANIMEX, inc.