🌱 My Path in Music
Hello! I’m Zhen Wang, a clarinetist passionate about performing, teaching, and sharing the joy of music.
I earned my Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in Clarinet Performance from Boston University in May 2025, after completing a Performance Diploma there in 2022. Before moving to the U.S., I received both my Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Clarinet Performance from Taipei National University of the Arts. These years of training shaped my musical identity and opened the door to many meaningful collaborations and performance experiences.
🎶 A Decade of Clarinet Teaching
Teaching has been an essential part of my musical life for nearly a decade. Since 2016, I’ve had the joy of working with students across a wide range of ages and experience levels — from beginners just discovering the clarinet to advanced students preparing for competitions and college admissions.
At Boston University, I served as the instructor for undergraduate non-major clarinet students. My focus was not only on tone production and technique, but also on helping each student develop confidence and musical independence. Back in Taiwan, I coached the clarinet section and chamber ensembles at Kang Chiao International School, where I supported young musicians in ensemble settings.
Over the years, I’ve taught both in-person and online, and I enjoy the different ways each format allows me to connect with students. In one-on-one private lessons, whether face-to-face or through a screen, I tailor my approach to each student’s needs and goals — whether they aim to perform, compete, or simply enjoy playing music.
✨ Performance Highlights
Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of performing in a wide range of solo, chamber, and orchestral settings — from concert halls in Taipei and Boston to the stage at Carnegie Hall.
One of the most memorable milestones in my journey was performing Jörg Widmann’s Fantasie as a soloist at Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall, after being selected as the first clarinetist to win Boston University’s annual competition. I was also featured as a soloist performing Carl Nielsen’s Clarinet Concerto in Boston University’s Winner’s Concert.
As a clarinetist, I’ve performed with ensembles including the Boston Civic Symphony and the Boston University Symphony Orchestra at venues like Boston Symphony Hall. I’ve also collaborated with Boston Ballet in their annual Next Generation production at Citizens Bank Opera House.
📚🏅 Research, Projects & Recognition
Beyond performance, I am passionate about exploring music through analysis across a wide range of repertoire — from solo pieces to concertos, and from the Romantic era to contemporary works. My master’s thesis focused on Brahms’ Clarinet Sonata, Op. 120 No. 2, examining motivic development, harmonic ambiguity, and structural design. For my doctoral oral examination, I analyzed William O. Smith’s Five Pieces for Clarinet Alone, with attention to twelve-tone organization, implied polyphony, and extended clarinet techniques. My doctoral dissertation, Bipolarity in Music: Carl Nielsen’s Clarinet Concerto, Op. 57, further expanded this work by studying how emotional contrasts are reflected in Nielsen’s compositional style, offering both analytical insights and practical performance strategies.
A highlight of my interdisciplinary work was participating in National Geographic Live, a unique project that combined live clarinet performance with neuroscience research, integrating classical music into a study of brain activity. Experiences like this continue to inspire me to see music not only as art, but also as a bridge to other fields of knowledge.
In recognition of my work, I have been honored with awards such as the Boston University Soloist Competition and the Boston University at Carnegie Hall Competition, and was inducted into Pi Kappa Lambda, a national music honor society for excellence in performance and scholarship. These milestones remind me of the responsibility and joy of continuing to grow as both a performer and educator.