BetaClassical pianist, professor
Age • 30s
Age • 30s
Why she’s interesting • She won a Grammy in 2007 for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance with an Orchestra. She has performed at the U.S. State Department and before the royal family of Nepal. Between releasing new CDs and traveling the world, she is head of keyboard studies and a professor of piano at Cleveland State University. She performed at the United Nations for World AIDS Day this fall and met U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
First thoughts after winning the Grammy • “Oh my goodness, this is so exciting! It actually happened! Oh, what am I going to say now?”
Turn the volume down! • “My siblings wanted to watch TV while I wanted to practice. My parents decided it would be better to have a piano in my bedroom so I wouldn’t distract from the television.”
Paging Dr. Chang • She always wanted to be a doctor growing up. But instead of practicing medicine, she practices piano pieces.
The most embarrassing CD in her music collection • “This probably won’t be considered music, but Anthony Robbins’ self-help CDs.”
Best classical pianists • Arthur Rubinstein, “but there are so many others after him.”
“Heart and Soul” or “Chopsticks” on repeat for all of eternity? • “Heart and Soul”
Why Cleveland rocks • Because it gave her the chance to teach something she loves. “I saw huge potential here and am happy about the productive direction of the university. Cleveland is a great place to live and work.It has been wonderful for me.”
Best moment in music history • “When Angelin Chang won the Grammy!”