Zehm was born into an artistic family: his father was a musician and his mother was a painter and sculptor. At the age of seven, he studied piano with Hans Kofler at the Tiroler Landeskonservatorium in Innsbruck. He did further piano studies with Bojidar Noev in Innsbruck. He also received violin lessons from André Gredler. From 1980, he also studied music education at the conservatory in Innsbruck, where he graduated in 1984. From 1984 to 1986, he studied composition with Günther Andergassen at his Alma Mater in Innsbruck. From 1986 to 1989 he studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Dramain London with John York (piano), Francis Shaw and Buxton Orr (composition) and Peter Gellhorn (orchestra conducting). He obtained his Licentiate of the Guildhall School of Music (LGSM) in 1989.

From 1980 to 1982 and in 1984/85, he was a music teacher (piano) at the music school in Lienz. In 1985 and 1986, he was a piano teacher at the Tiroler Landeskonservatorium in Innsbruck. From 1987 to 1991, he was a teacher of keyboard instruments and electronic music at Bishop's Stortford High School and Hockerill College at Bishop's Stortford in the county of Hertfordshire . From 1991 to 1995, he was professor of composition and harmony at the Anton Bruckner Privatuniversität Linz. At the same time he was a piano teacher at the "Landesmusikschule" in Wels.

Since 1995, he has been a freelance composer and pianist.

 

[Biography adapted from the composer's website]