Born in 2002, violinist Hana Chang appreciates the European train network and, as a student of Janine Jansen and Christian Tetzlaff, she is also travelling fast career-wise.
A five-hour journey separates Hana Chang's home in Berlin from Kronberg Academy, where she is studying for her Bachelor's degree with Christian Tetzlaff. Five hours - that is, if the "Deutsche Bahn" train wasn't delayed. Nevertheless, she has enjoyed travelling by train since she started studying in Europe. Because in the USA – she is originally from Lexington, Massachusetts – public transport doesn't work well, she says. "If you live in the suburbs, you need a car." She has never used a long-distance train in America. But here it's convenient: "Especially in Switzerland, the view of all the lakes is so beautiful. I now take the train more often to travel to concerts."
Hana Chang's passion for music was sparked when she saw as a little girl how her brother was being taught the violin at home: "I think it's natural to want to be like your older siblings." There was never a moment when she actively decided to become a violinist. Music was her constant companion from a very early age. She had her first solo performance with the New England Conservatory Baroque Chamber Orchestra at the age of seven. Her parents – her mother a lecturer in Japanese and her father working in the software industry – often took Hana Chang to symphony orchestra concerts, which further fuelled her fascination.
After 16 years of education in the USA, Hana Chang decided to change scenery and study in Europe: "I wanted to find out what else was out there." Her first stop was Switzerland, more specifically Sion, where she studied at the Haute École de Musique with Janine Jansen. "I think you can call that a city, can't you?", she looks at me with a big question mark. In purely mathematical terms, the answer is clearly yes. With over 35,000 inhabitants, Sion is definitely a city. But as an American, Hana Chang is of course used to other dimensions.
In Sion, she was living alone for the first time and was also confronted with very practical questions: Where can I find an affordable flat? How do I cook? But there was no real culture shock for her, despite the major differences between the American and European way of life. Since her youth, she has travelled to Europe every summer for masterclasses and festivals, "so I have gradually become accustomed to life here".
Janine Jansen and Christian Tetzlaff were among her musical idols from an early age. Now that she knows her idols very well, these "radiant people" seem much more approachable. "I understand how much work is behind their art". The fact that they both perform regularly and don't just teach makes them much more empathetic as mentors and teachers. Excitement, stress and vulnerability are emotions that they too are very familiar with. "The energy they exude is inspiring and then you give 150 percent."
The enthusiasm is mutual. Christian Tetzlaff says about his student: "She plays so well that my jaw drops." And he's not the only one to share this opinion: Hana Chang was nominated as a "Rising Star" by Classic FM in 2024 and is a member of BBC Radio 3's New Generation Artists programme. She is also a laureate of the Queen Elisabeth and Yehudi Menuhin competitions.
In Berlin, she has now arrived "in the heart of classical music". "Here you can experience a concert of the highest calibre every evening. What's more, the local train network offers endless possibilities: You can simply take a train, visit another country and immerse yourself in a completely different culture."
In the meantime, Hana Chang – who switches from real to metaphorical wheels during the interview – feels like "the driver of a car and no longer like the passenger". In other words, she is in the process of finding her own voice. But of course, she continues to receive advice from her teachers on the best route to take as a driver. "Sometimes it is almost shocking how differently you perceive a piece after a certain amount of time. It also happens that bad habits creep back in – for example with the Mendelssohn or Tchaikovsky concertos."
Her curriculum at Kronberg Academy gives her space to make the shift from passenger to driver: Time is deliberately scheduled for concerts, and she doesn't have lessons every day. Hana Chang is currently in a transitional phase in her career, in which she is getting more and more opportunities to perform. This is important in order to realise who she wants to be as a soloist – and helps her to navigate her way as a driver.
Social networks are also important for Hana Chang. Increasingly, they are the place to make new contacts. This means that young musicians often meet digitally at first: "You're part of a digital community of musicians," says Hana Chang. "Sometimes you get the feeling that you already know each other quite well, even though you've only met digitally. We are generally very well informed about who is playing where." Social media can be a springboard for musicians to raise their profile – even if things might not go so smoothly at competitions. Hana Chang had several videos of performances online that helped her gain more attention. Self-promotion and the targeted use of social media are becoming increasingly important skills, and GenZ is well aware of this. Nevertheless, one should be careful with such attributions and ultimately pigeonholing, because Hana Chang is different from many of this generation: "In an ideal, magical world, I would prefer to just practice, concentrate on the music and not have to think about such things. I'm a bit old-fashioned in that respect." She also doesn't care if she doesn't follow a trend. Ultimately, the music should take centre stage.
Hana Chang is now performing at the Tonhalle Zürich for the first time as part of the Série jeunes – adding another chapter to her adventure in Europe. Will she be travelling by train?
