Viola Faculty, Korean National University of Arts

Viola Faculty, Sookmyung Women's University

Born in Anyang, Kyonggi-Do, Korean violist Heejin Chang enjoys sharing her love of the classical music and the viola with audiences.

As a soloist, Heejin has performed in Seoul, Korea with the Prime Philharmonic Orchestra, the Gu-Ri City Philharmonic Orchestra and KNUA Symphony Orchestra. She has given solo recitals in Kumho Art Hall, Young-San Art Hall and KNUA Hall, the 24th Viola Space in Tokyo and numerous venues in the United States. Based on his unremitting enthusiasm for learning even during the pandemic, she performed all the Ligeti 6 Sonatas for Solo Viola for the first time in Korea.

The winner of the major competition in Korea. Heejin was the gold prize winner at the SunWha music competition at age 11. Continuously, she got first Prize Winner at the Eum-Ak-Chun-Chu (Music Journal) Music Competition, a first prize winner in all ages of the viola part at the Sung-Jung music competition, a second prize winner at the 48th Dong-A music competition. On the international stage, she was selected as a prize winner at the Japan-Osaka international music competition and the 49th William C. Byrd young artist competition for strings.

In addition to solo performances, Heejin actively participated in the orchestra. She has served as a principal violist of the KNUA Symphony Orchestra, Yale Philharmonia, NEC Philharmonia, and MSM Philharmonia Orchestra. She also played in the viola section of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra and Montclair Orchestra as a student fellow.

With enthusiasm for chamber music, Heejin was invited to the Tong-Young International Music Festival, Seoul Spring Festival of Chamber Music in Korea, the Rittergut Benningsen Festival in Germany, and the Canton Asian Music Festival in China. For 60 years of partnership and shared prosperity concert between the Republic of Korea and the United States, she performed at Kennedy Center in Washington DC, Lincoln Center in New York, Ford Theatre in Los Angeles. She appeared on the Jordan Hall in Boston for the chamber music gala concert, the masterclass of Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Weill recital Hall in Carnegie, Seoul Arts Center, Lotte Concert Hall and Ilshin Hall in Seoul.

Also, a sought-after chamber musician, Heejin founded the Ciel Ensemble in 2020. Ciel Ensemble has been featured Seoul Arts Center Summer Music Festival, Lotte Concert Hall’s Music Keeps Going Series, and Guro Classic Festa. They have been selected to be sponsored by the Korean Artsylvia Foundation, Seoul Classical Music Society, and Seoul Arts Center Summer Music Festival. The Ciel Ensemble also appeared on several national broadcasts such as Seocho Cable TV Broadcasting, and Catholic Peace Broadcasting Corporation. The ensemble also won second prize in the 10th Lancaster International Chamber Music Competition, third prize in Petrichor International Music Competition, and first prize in London International Music Competition.

Festival highlights include appearances at the NAC Young Artists Program (Director; Pinchas Zuckerman), Banff Master Class and Orchestra Program in Canada, Summit Music Festival, Bowdoin International Music Festival, Sarasota Music Festival in the United States and the International Musicians Seminar Prussia Cove in England. Especially, she taught chamber music at Manhattan in the Mountain Music Festival as an assistant faculty. WIOX Radio in the Catskill broadcasted the faculty concert on live.

Previously, Heejin attended the Seoul Arts High School and is the recipient of a bachelor’s degree from the Korea National University of Arts where she was an honor student of a young-talented artist and graduated in 3 years, studying with Soonhwa Oh. In the United States, she achieved her Master of Music degree at Yale University School of Music studying with Ettore Causa. After that, she studied with Dimitri Murrath at New England Conservatory of Music for Graduate Diploma and Music in Education Concentration. In 2022, she purchased a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the Manhattan School of Music studying with Samuel Rhodes. Currently, she is giving a lecture at the Korean National University of Arts, Sookmyung Women's University, and Yonsei University.