Zac Zinger

Shakuhachi Specialist

A student of Kinko-ryū under the tutelage of Ralph Samuelson, Zac received a fellowship from the Asian Cultural Council in 2017 to study jiuta, min’yo, and Dōkyoku styles in Tokyo with ZENYŌJI Keisuke, OBAMA Akihito, and SOGAWA Kinya. He has lectured on the shakuhachi and multicultural art at the World Shakuhachi Festival, Berklee College of Music, California Institute of the Arts, and Texas A&M.

In 2020 Zac received a grant from Salon De Virtuosi “for his exceptional talent and dedication to cross-cultural musical presentations.” In 2021 his composition Haiku in Variation for shakuhachi and string quartet took 1st place at the Tribeca New Music Competition, where he performed it with The Resonance Collective. And in 2023, Zac premiered his jazz/neoclassical composition Dance of the Snow Foxes for shakuhachi, koto, and piano at Carnegie Hall. He has also performed live as a featured shakuhachi soloist with the Hollywood Scoring Orchestra and the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, and recorded as featured shakuhachi soloist for soundtracks to League of Legends, God of War: Ragnarok, Just Cause 4, PubG, Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and Blue Eye Samurai.

A versatile multi-instrumentalist

Zac has recorded and/or performed professionally on the following instruments:

Western Instruments

• Saxophones

  • Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone

• Flutes

  • Piccolo, C Flute, Alto Flute

• Clarinets

  • Bb Clarinet, Bass Clarinet

• EWI (Electronic Wind Instrument)

• Recorder

  • Garklein, Sopranino, Soprano, Alto

World Instruments (various keys)

• Shakuhachi (Japan)

• Shinobue (Japan)

• Dizi (China)

• Xiao (China)

• Bansuri (India)

• Duduk (Armenia)

• Khlui (Thailand)

• Suling (Indonesia)

• Pennywhistle (Ireland)

• Quena (Peru)

• Ocarina (Various)

• Pan flute (Various)

Selected Credits

Biography

Zac Zinger is an award-winning multi-instrumenatalist, composer, arranger, and orchestrator renowned for his innovative technique and style on the shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute), as well as the unique multicultural blend of his compositions. Whether writing for jazz fusion quartet, chamber ensemble, big band, or orchestra, Zac’s focus on strong melodies and sophisticated harmony captures the intrigue of both the average listener and the well-seasoned musician. Coupled with virtuosic and energetic playing, his performances are compelling for any audience.

Zac has performed in twelve countries, in esteemed venues such as Carnegie Hall, The Blue Note, and Jazz at Lincoln Center, as a guest of the Japanese Ambassadors to the United Nations, New York City, and Chicago, and has been credited for musical contributions to 83 commercial music releases and counting. He has worked with such musical luminaries as Sir Paul McCartney, Branford Marsalis, Michael Bublé, Dionne Warwick, Audra McDonald, Bear McCreary, and Tituss Burgess, and regularly plays with the Grammy Award winning 8-Bit Big Band and Adam Neely. He has received four ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Awards and the Johnny Mandel Prize, has placed first in the Tribeca New Music Competition and USA Songwriting Competition, and has received fellowships and grants from the Asian Cultural Council and Salon de Virtuosi.

In addition to his work as a solo artist, Zac’s contributions as composer, arranger, orchestrator and recording artist have extended to television and films including Lord of The Rings, RWBY, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and such major video game titles as Street Fighter V, League of Legends, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Elden Ring, PubG Mobile, Final Fantasy XV, Just Cause 4, Jump Force, and Mobile Suit Gundam: Side Stories.

Awards & Grants

• 2021 Tribeca New Music Young Composer Competition, 1st Place

• 2021 New York City Artist Corps Grant

• 2020 USA Songwriting Competition, 1st place (Jazz)

• 2020 Salon De Virtuosi Career Grant

• 2016 Asian Cultural Council Artist Fellowship

• 2015 ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award

• 2014 ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award

• 2013 ASCAP Johnny Mandel Prize

• 2013 ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award

• 2012 ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award

• 2010 Herb Pomeroy Composition/Arranging Award

• 2009 Herb Pomeroy Composition/Arranging Award

• 2007 Pittsburgh Jazz Society Leadership Award

• 2007 Irene S. and Harry Louik Theatre Arts Award

Selected Venues

• Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

• Jazz at Lincoln Center, New York, NY

• United Nations (Residence of the Japanese Ambassador), New York, NY

• Consulate General of Japan, New York, NY

• Merkin Hall, New York, NY

• Japan Society, New York, NY

• Asia Society, New York, NY

• Sony Hall, New York, NY - with The 8-Bit Big Band

• Heinz Hall, Pittsburgh, PA

• Peabody Opera House, St. Louis, MO

• Little Island NYC, New York, NY

• The Glasshouse, New York, NY - with Dionne Warwick

• Jazz at the Kitano, New York, NY