Guest ArtistsSarah Chang, violin

Recognized as one of the foremost violinists of our time, Sarah Chang has performed with the most esteemed orchestras, conductors and accompanists in an international career spanning more than two decades. Since her debut with the New York Philharmonic at the age of eight, Ms. Chang has dazzled audiences with her technical virtuosity and emotional depth.

In the coming season, Ms. Chang's appearances in North America will include the Philadelphia Orchestra, Houston Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Madison Symphony and New Jersey Symphony. Her European engagements will take her to Spain, Germany and Turkey, while, in Asia, she will appear in concert in Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand. Highlights from recent seasons have included performances with the New West Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, Pacific Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, New Jersey Symphony, Ravinia Festival, Aspen Music Festival and the Philadelphia Orchestra at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. As a recital and chamber musician, Ms. Chang regularly travels throughout the world and has performed with such artists as Pinchas Zukerman, Yefim Bronfman, Leif Ove Andsnes, Yo-Yo Ma, Isaac Stern, Wolfgang Sawallisch and members of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

Ms. Chang’s most recent recording for EMI Classics - her 20th for the label - featured the Brahms and Bruch violin concertos with Kurt Masur and the Dresdner Philharmonie; it was received to excellent critical and popular acclaim. Her 2007 recording of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons attracted international commendation, with BBC Music Magazine stating: “She has never made a finer recording.” She has also recorded: Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 1 and Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1 live with the Berliner Philharmoniker under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle; Fire and Ice, an album of popular shorter works for violin and orchestra with Placido Domingo conducting the Berliner Philharmoniker; the Dvořák Violin Concerto with the London Symphony Orchestra and Sir Colin Davis; as well as several chamber music and sonata discs with artists including pianists Leif Ove Andsnes and Lars Vogt.

Along with Pete Sampras, Wynton Marsalis and Tom Brady, Ms. Chang has been a featured artist in Movado’s global advertising campaign “The Art of Time.” In 2006 Ms. Chang was honored in Newsweek Magazine’s “Women and Leadership, 20 Powerful Women Take Charge” issue. In March 2008 Ms. Chang was honored as a Young Global Leader for 2008 by the World Economic Forum (WEF) for her professional achievements, commitment to society and potential in shaping the future of the world.

In 2012 Sarah Chang received the Harvard University Leadership Award, and in 2005 Yale University dedicated a chair in Sprague Hall in her name. For the June 2004 Olympic Games, she was given the honor of running with the Olympic Torch in New York; that same month she became the youngest person ever to receive The Hollywood Bowl's Hall of Fame award. Also in 2004, Ms. Chang was awarded the Internazionale Accademia Musicale Chigiana Prize in Sienna, Italy. She is a past recipient of the Avery Fisher Career Grant, Gramophone’s “Young Artist of the Year” award, Germany’s “Echo” Schallplattenpreis, “Newcomer of the Year” honors at the International Classical Music Awards in London and Korea’s “Nan Pa” award. In 2011 Ms. Chang was named an official Artistic Ambassador by the United States Embassy.