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Artist
Derek Zhao
12+ albums
film scorenew age
about
A classically trained musician and young composer of rapidly increasing respect, Derek Zhao's compositions cannot be classified by genre. He has provided music for over 40 short films, as well as television shows, commercials, and promotional videos, winning several awards for his work at independent film festivals in the Los Angeles area. Derek Zhao was born in Sichuan, China, immigrating to the United States with his parents when he was a year old. After spending a few years in Denver, Derek and his family planted roots just outside of Houston, Texas. While in school, he studied violin with the former concertmaster of the Beijing Philharmonic, Bingsun Yang. Derek was valedictorian of his graduating class at Klein Oak High School, going on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Southern California with an emphasis in recording and composition. It was at USC where Derek first found himself in demand as a film composer. Influenced by everything from the steroid-enhanced scores of Hans Zimmer to Thomas Newmans quirky minimalistic soundscapes to Jerry Goldsmiths sweeping symphonic masterpieces, student directors loved how easily he combines orchestral and electronic elements, effortlessly weaving in and out of classical, techno, pop, new age, ethnic, and various other styles. USC-based Trojan Vision TV8 still uses themes Derek has written for a number of its television programs, and national corporations are developing a special taste for Derek's unique
