June 7 2018 Milan, Italy
'Not yet twelve years old is to present a musical programme like that heard last night in the conservatory for the Concert Society is particularly courageous.
This is what the amazing violinist Leia Zhu is doing around the world who has certainly not exaggerated in the choice of songs often of high virtuosity performed with her excellent ¾ violin, indeed the songs performed they were absolutely within her reach and the executive maturity was that of a virtuous adult in his career for years.
It should be listened to closed eyes not to be conditioned, as often happens, right or wrong, by the words ‘child prodigy’.
Nothing can be said to listen to justify of the age: Leia Zhu, the eleven – twelve in October – of Newcastle is perfect, highly expressive and overcomes any technical difficulty without any effort.
The variegated programme, which the talented Jennifer Hughes on the piano, foresaw a sonata of Beethoven, the Op. 12 No 3, then the Carmen Fantasie in the effective reworking of Waxman, then two works of Mozart as the Adagio in E major K261 and the Rondo in D major K 373, a violin solo with Fritz Kreisler and his Recitativo and Scherzo-Caprice Op 6. At the end is the famous Paganini La Campanella.
Splendid synergistic balance between the pianist and the violinist: Hughes was very attentive to the volumes of the small but tonally excellent violin of Zhu. Leia has been excellent both in the most classical and less virtuosically moments of Beethoven’s sonata and Mozart songs, and in the every virtuosic situation from Carmen to Kreisler, to the well-known La Campanella, with those perfect in intonation and dynamic relationship.
The presence of the little girl in bright red dress, has underlines even more. An evening that will remain indelibly in the memories of the many in the Sala Verdi. All convinced and gave thunderous applause.
The two encores are excellent: Veracini, Largo from Sonata No 6 and Kreisler, the Marche miniature Viennoise.' - reviewed by Corriere Milano
Photo album is here
Watch Leia's performance below