Under the baton of Thomas Hengelbrock, the Norddeutscher Rundfunk orchestra tours China recently. [Photo/China Daily]

"My mother read an article saying that playing the piano helps children to develop both sides of their brain and enhances the development of IQ," the pianist says.

So, he began to play, and his talent showed quickly. What other children took a month to learn took him no more than a week.

When he was 5, he gave his first solo concert at Shanghai Concert Hall, playing the works of Bach. "At the time I began to be aware that playing the piano would be more than just a hobby."

He was admitted to study the piano at Curtis Institute of Music at 15. The prestigious US school in Philadelphia provides full scholarship for all of its students. It is consequently among the most selective institutions of higher education in the US, with one of the lowest acceptance rates in that country.

Moving to the US as a teenager, he went through a difficult time.

"You would feel all alone, dragged out of your comfort zone, and you became an outsider," he recalls.

Playing piano is often a solo exercise - being a pianist can make a person lonely - it isn't the same as being part of a band.

But art and music have given Zhang faith and helped him face life's challenges.

As a boy he was introverted, but with time, he has learned to open up more to his immediate environment though he is still a bit shy.

"Schumann created two fictional characters in his head," Zhang says. "Florestan was the impulsive and outgoing one, while Eusebius was more introverted and dreamy."

You could see the constant shifts between these two personalities, and the poetic inspirations sparked by the confrontations, he says of how some music fans perceive Schumann's life.

Zhang is hoping to play more contemporary Chinese music, although his all-time favorite has been German and Austrian music spanning the Baroque and Romantic periods, because he found something "pure and noble" conserved in their musical traditions.

The young musician, who is a rising star, is forming a solid base of followers within the country and outside, but he errs on the side of caution.

"You can't change your true color to try to please audiences. That is not promoting classical music. You need to guide the audiences, not accommodate them."