​​​​​​​A vibrant violinist, orchestral and chamber musician, and educator, Dr. Keat Zhen Cheong infuses her musical endeavors with passion, expertise, and artistry. A native of Malaysia, she began playing the piano at the age of 4 and later took up the violin at 9, where her passion for music blossomed. Her early achievements include consolation prizes at the Tainan International Piano and Violin Competition in 2012 and 2013, and a silver prize at the Singapore Performer’s Festival in 2014. In 2020, she earned Licentiate Performance Diplomas in both Violin and Piano from Trinity College London. 

​​

Currently based in San Diego, Dr. Cheong holds a Doctor of Music in Violin Performance from Florida State University, where she studied under Dr. Benjamin Sung and served as a Teaching Assistant in both Violin and Chamber Music. She also served as substitute first violin sectional coach for the Tallahassee Youth Orchestra. In addition, she holds a Master of Music from Boston University, an Artist Diploma from OAcademy Conservatory, and a Bachelor of Music from UCSI University, under the tutelage of Yuri Mazurkevich, Nikki Chooi, and Zhenzhen Liang and Liu Jian, respectively. She also served as a Teaching Assistant in Aural Skills at Boston University and mentored students through the Peer Assisted Learning program in Aural Skills and Music Theory at UCSI University.

​

As an active orchestral musician, Dr. Cheong has performed with orchestras such as the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonia Gulf Coast, Panama City Symphony Orchestra, The Orchestra of the Americas, Boston Civic Symphony Orchestra, and the pit orchestras of the South Georgia Ballet, Florida State Opera, and Boston University Opera. Her performances have graced prestigious concert venues, including Boston’s Symphony Hall, New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall, and University of Michigan’s Hill Auditorium, where she had the privilege of collaborating with renowned artists and conductors, such as Yo-Yo Ma, Midori Gotō, JoAnn Falletta, and Keith Lockhart. 

​​

Dr. Cheong has refined her artistry through participation in solo and chamber masterclasses led by esteemed artists such as Augustin Hadelich, Moni Simeonov, Juliette Kang, Jonathan Crow, Yōsuke Kawasaki, and the Aizuri Quartet. In recognition of her academic excellence, she was honored as a two-time recipient of the prestigious P.E.O International Peace Scholarship for the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 academic years.

​

Beyond classical music, Dr. Cheong’s versatility has led to collaborations with major film companies, including solo and string quartet recordings for the Netflix Original series, The Ghost Bride, and the HBO Asia movie, The Garden of the Evening Mists, both of which premiered in 2020.