FROM PRODIGY TO PIONEER Han-Na Chang on Music, Mentorship, and Breaking Barriers
WFIMC: What was your experience as a juror at the Toscanini Competition in Parma? Han-Na Chang: Every day was a discovery. What impressed me first was the generous format—an hour for each candidate in the preliminary round, then 70 minutes, and finally a three-hour rehearsal with the orchestra. It was as if the competition was saying, “We truly want to get to know you as an artist.” The organization was flawless, with all scores and materials waiting for us each day. This efficiency allowed the jury to focus completely on the music and the candidates. And Parma itself was a revelation. What a beautiful place to have a competition! The old town, the Duomo…Discovering its culture, the history behind something like prosciutto—it all speaks to an incredible attention to detail and dedication. That, of course, is what music is all about. It made me see that this wasn’t really a sports tournament. It was about bringing people together to share ideas. Our winner, Stefan Armasar from Russia, had never been outside his country. Imagine what a profound, eye-opening experience this was for him. Competitions like this are a vital ground for cultural exchange. I left feeling very inspired. That sounds very different from your own early competition experiences. What is your first memory of competing? My very first was a small competition in Korea when I was eight. I just went and played, and they announced that I got the first Prize. But the pivotal one was the 5th Rostropovich Cello Competition in Paris in 1994. I was eleven. I didn’t enter to win; I entered to meet Maestro Rostropovich… I really wanted to meet him. In 1993, he came to Korea and gave a recital, probably
even a masterclass. My parents approached the promoters, but were turned down immediately. “Oh no, not for Children!” Even when my family moved to New York so I could go to Juilliard, I didn´t get a chance. Rostropovich gave a masterclass at Manhattan School of Music, but I was too young to be admitted. But then one day, looking through a music magazine, I found this ad for the Rostropovich Competition in Paris. It was to take place in October 1994, and anyone under the age of 33 was eligible to participate. I think they had simply forgotten to mention a lower limit. So my parents sent the application, and it was accepted. When I arrived in Paris, they told us they had thought it was a mistake and I was 21 years old… but they let me play. Could you speak any French or English at the time? No, not at all. It´s a beautiful memory: I went there to meet Rostropovich, not to win the competition. For me, being able to play for him was like winning. It changed my life, what can I say? For someone like me, with no musical family connections, competitions are an equal ground, where anybody can come and show their work. They are incredibly meaningful because they allow you to be seen for your work alone.
You prepared for the competition with Mischa Maisky, didn’t you?
Yes. Mischa is one of the most important teachers I’ve had. He had come to Korea in 1992, and my parents gave him a tape of my playing. He actually listened to it and later invited me to participate in his Chigiana masterclasses in Siena. When I decided to enter Rostropovich’s competition in 1994, I played the whole competition repertoire for him in Siena: Bach, Britten, Beethoven,
Conducting Competitions
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