Korean American violinist, Dr. Ruth Chang is enjoying a versatile career as an orchestral musician, collaborator, and teacher. Currently based in Austin, Dr. Chang joined the Austin Symphony Orchestra as Assistant Principal Second Violin in the fall of 2022. When not performing, Dr. Chang is very passionate about teaching -- she recently started a private studio in North Austin. Her students have won top prizes in local competitions and earned top rankings in the Texas All-State Orchestras. 

 

Dr. Chang has performed internationally and across the United States in venues such as the Meyerson Center (Dallas, TX), Bass Performance Hall (Fort Worth, TX), Seiji Ozawa Hall (Lennox, MA), and Suntory Hall (Tokyo, Japan). She has performed in orchestras under the baton of world renowned conductors such as Alan Gilbert, Andris Nelsons, Valery Gergiev, and Thomas Ades. Dr. Chang has appeared as soloist with orchestras ranging from the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra to the community-based Central Texas Medical Orchestra. Recent season highlights include performances throughout the DFW metroplex and Southern California.

 

Dr. Chang has performed in masterclasses for artists such as Sally Thomas, Joseph Silverstein, James Ehnes, Ida Kavafian, Robert Chen, and Nathan Cole. As a chamber musician, she has had the opportunity to work under the guidance of Emanuel Ax, Glenn Dicterow, Martin Beaver, Jeremy Denk, and the Juilliard String Quartet. Dr. Chang’s performances have been featured on Boston Symphony’s BSO Now, the Austin Classical Radio KMFA 89.5, and the WRR Classical Radio Station 101.1. Festival appearances include the Tanglewood Music Festival, Pacific Music Festival, Music Academy of the West, Bowdoin International Music Festival, and the Meadowmount School of Music. 

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Born in Seattle in 1994, Dr. Chang began violin lessons at the age of 4. She grew up in Fort Worth, TX and was very fortunate to be introduced to celebrated pedagogue Jan Mark Sloman at age 11. She studied under his tutelage for seven years before attending the New England Conservatory to pursue her B.M. in 2012. She completed her M.M. at Indiana University in 2016, and doctoral studies at the University of Texas at Austin in 2022. Her other mentors and influences include Paul Biss, Grigory Kalinovsky,  Sandy Yamamoto, Jing Wang, and Ko Iwasaki.