Where are they now…
Celia Zhang
2010 Whittenberg
Scholarship Winner
The Julliard School
Violin
“I’m still very much involved in the Arts. In fact, I’m pretty much immersed in it way over my head at the moment, as I’m living right across from Lincoln Center in Manhattan, studying at the Julliard School. I am currently in my third year of my Bachelor of Music Undergraduate degree, and listening to the pianist in the room to my right practicing Liszt excerpts while the wall in front of where I’m typing holds a trumpeter blaring dramatic orchestral clips from his speakers on the other side. Just by walking through the practice rooms, it becomes evident that the training which students get here is thorough and extensive, as the school really does prepare its students as much as it can for the real world as a performing artist.
My classes alone cover areas such as ear training, music theory, music history, liberal arts courses, and of course the required private lessons, chamber coachings and orchestra rehearsals and concerts. Performances here of any kind are powerfully educational, regardless if you’re one of the performers or not. In fact, I just very recently had my very first solo recital (which, as a junior, was completely voluntary, though I’m not quite sure where the guts to do it came from), and all the things I learned from the experience – not just musically, but about myself as well- was an incredibly eye-opening experience. Being here is definitely crazy, busy, chaotic, extremely lively, and stressful, but I’ve never loved such an experience more. It has only made me more driven to pursue my love for and involvement in the Arts.
The generosity of the Whittenberg Scholarship impacted my life by helping to pay part of my college tuition here at Julliard which I’m so lucky to be able to study at. Winning it made it that much easier to get to come and pursue my dreams further here in this performing arts Mecca, so many thanks to Fund for the Arts for this opportunity!”
