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Ray-Chou Chang, violin
Featured as one of the duo-soloists with Julian Rachlin in Bach’s Double Concerto in 2014, violinist Ray-Chou Chang is highly sought after as a Soloist, Concertmaster and Chamber Musician. He currently serves as the Concertmaster of National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra, a position he held since 2009, and had been invited to play with Evergreen Orchestra and Sichuan Symphony Orchestra of China as a guest concertmaster. Chang has performed throughout Europe, Asia and North America and has appeared as a soloist with Moscow Russian Philharmonic Orchestra, Voronezh State Symphony Orchestra, National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra, Young Musicians’ Foundation Orchestra of Singapore, Sichuan Symphony Orchestra of China, Taipei Symphony Orchestra, Kaohsiung Symphony Orchestra, Kaohsiung Chinese Orchestra, LongTan Philharmonic Orchestra, New Century Symphony Orchestra Taipei, Puli Symphony Orchestra, Mazer Philharmonic Orchestra, Taichung City Symphony Orchestra, Hsinchu Philharmonic Orchestra, and Taipei Chamber Orchestra. As a concertmaster, Chang has collaborated with distinguish conductors such as Darrell Ang, Claus Peter Flor, Okko Kamu, Andrew Litton, John Nelson, Lan Shu, and etc.. He has also played chamber music with Cho-Liang Lin, Nai-Yuan Hu and members of the Miami String Quartet, have given masterclasses in Shanghai Conservatory of Music in China, Amadeus International School Vienna and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore and have taught in Brancaleoni International Music Festival in Italy during summers.
“His musicianship and dedication are exemplary. Taiwan is fortunate to have a such fine musician.” － Cho-Liang Lin, World-renowned Violinist
Chang received his first violin lesson at age five and won a top prize in the Taiwan National Violin Competition in 1987. During the same year he also made his orchestral debut and went to the United States of America to further musical training. He completed his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at Peabody Conservatory of Music and his Doctoral degree at University of Maryland, College Park. He was a recipient of the Evergreen Foundation Grant from 1988 to 1995 and was the Grand Prize winner of 1990 National Fischoff Chamber Music Competition in USA. Chang is also an outstanding recording engineer. He has received a Recording Arts and Sciences Degree from the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University and has worked as a Broadcasting Engineer for the National Public Radio in Washington D.C. In 2003, Chang returned to Taiwan and have taught in Tainan National University of Arts and Shih Chien University in Taipei. He joined Kaohsiung City Symphony Orchestra as its Concertmaster in 2004, a position he held until 2008, before joining National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra. Besides performing activities, Chang currently teaches at Tunghai University in Taichung, Taiwan and holds a private violin studio.
Chang has received lessons and coaching from Yong-Ku Ahn, Earl Carlyss, Wen-Hsian Chang, Gerald Fischbach, Shirley Givens, Guarneri String Quartet, Peng Pan, Peabody Trio and Berl Senofsky.