Jean Huang, Concertmaster

About Jean

Described as “a consummate artist,” violinist Jean Huang has concertized throughout the United States and Taiwan. Praised for her poised and expressive playing, Jean enjoys playing both standard repertoire and new music, and she is constantly searching for new ways to reach audiences.Huang is especially passionate about performing underplayed pieces; as a violinist living in the 21st century, she enjoys the process of looking for new color and extending the short history and limited geography of violin repertoire.Huang believes music has the ability to provoke the wildest imagination, and she often looks for a three-way connection between the composer, the performer, and the audience while performing. Huang writes her own scholarly program notes for each concert, using her knowledge to enhance the musical experience.

Chu-Chun Jean Huang holds both Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Violin Performance with honors from the New England Conservatory (NEC), and is currently a doctoral candidate at the conservatory.A native of Taiwan, Jean started playing the violin at age five and by age twelve had won a prize at the National Taiwan Concerto Competition. Huang has studied in the United States since age fifteen. She graduated with honors from Walnut Hill High School of the Arts, while also studying at the NEC Preparatory School from 2005 to 2008, where she worked with the late Marylou Speaker Churchill. In addition, she participated and toured in China with the NEC Youth Symphony Orchestra conducted by Benjamin Zander. In 2014, Huang enrolled in the Doctor of Musical Arts program at NEC with a merit scholarship, studying with James Buswell, Jennifer Frautschi, and Peter Zazofsky. In fall 2016, she excelled and passed all her doctoral qualifying exams to become the youngest doctoral candidate in her class.

A keen chamber musician, Huang has attended the Yellow Barn Music Festival, Heifetz International Music Institute, Vianden Music Festival in Luxembourg, and Orford Music Academy. She has performed alongside world-renowned musicians such as Nicholas Kitchen and Pi Hsien Chen.

Huang is passionate about teaching. Since 2006, she has served as a teaching assistant at the Walnut Hill Summer Music Festival held by the Chinese Performing Arts Foundation. She has also had the privilege to work as James Buswell’s teaching assistant at NEC, where she works with undergraduate violinists. Huang also teaches private violin lessons on a regular basis, with students ranging from seven years old to adults. Wishing to share her broad depth of scholarly knowledge,she also works as a teaching assistant in the music history and music theory departments at NEC. Starting from September 2017, she serves as the newest faculty at the New England Conservatory School of Continuing Education, where she teaches violin lessons and coach chamber music ensembles.

Fascinated by a wide range of music, Huang has worked as a concert coordinator and violinist at the Bleep Blop Electro-acoustic Ensemble, where she premieres works by Dr.Ramon Castillo and Dr. Po-Chun Wang on regular basis. Huang also challenges herself to have a wide range of color in her playing; recent performances include a heavilytraditionalChinese-influenced work “Shu-Ciao” by composer Delong Wang,and a world premiere of the personal and delicate piece, “Vivienne,” written by composer Ben Park. Huang also worked closely with composer Cody Forrest and performed many of his works such as “Invocation” for string quartet and “Ciaconna” for violin solo.

Wishing to become a musician rather than merely a violinist,Huang delves into all aspects of the field. In the summer of 2013, she took violin-making lessons and created her first violin, based on a Guarnerius model. Besides music, she enjoys everyday coffee, writing, and often wanders around Boston area for new inspirations from nature in her sound.Her recent articles on “How to practice efficiently” and “Performer’s role in music” have been featured in Taiwanese Classical Music magazine “MUSIK”, and she was invited to give mini lecture recitals in Boston (New England Association of Chinese Professionals), and in different cities in Taiwan in 2018.