"To Chun-yee

with gratitude + admiration!"

             -- Likuo Chang

Acting Principal Violist, Chicago Symphony Orchestra

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Biography of LiKuo Chang

Mr. Chang has been making history since the start of his career as a violist. Appointed by Sir Georg Solti, Li-Kuo Chang has been assistant principal viola of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 1998.

Mr. Chang has appeared as soloist with many orchestras, including several times with the CSO, most recently with Pinchas Zukerman performing Bach's sixth Brandenburg Concerto. An active chamber musician, he has collaberated with numerous renowned artists including Daniel Barenboim, Christoph Eschenbach, Pinchas Zukerman and Gidon Kremer. He has performed at the Ravinia Festival, Los Angeles Music Center, Berlin Staatsoper, Jerusalem Chamber Music Festival and Lucerne International Music Festival, among other concert halls and music festivals around the world. He has also toured frequently with the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin in Japan and the Berlin Staatskapelle in Europe as guest principal viola under Daniel Barenboim. Mr. Chang has been active as a teacher for many years. He has been on the faculty of Northwestern and Roosevelt Universities, and served on the faculty of the internationally renowned Affinis Music Festival in Nagano, Japan, from 1992 to 1998. He has given master classes at Indiana University, Northern Illionis University, DePaul University, Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts and Shanghai Conservatory. His students have won positions in major orchestras including those of Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta and Indianapolis, and prizes in national and international competitions.

Mr. Chang studied violin and piano at the conservatory in his native city Shanghai, China. He was a first prize winner of the Chinese Young Artist Competition held in Shanghai in 1978. In 1979, he came to the United States as a full scholarship student at the Eastman School of Music and young artist fellow at the Music Academy of the West. He studied viola with Francis Tursi, Donald McInnes, Milton Thomas, William Magers and Paul Doktor, and has played for William Primrose at Primrose's master classes.

Li-Kuo Chang now lives in downtown Chicago with his wife Maggie and son Daniel. He plays on a very rare 1770 viola, the ex-Henry Vieuxtemps, made by G.B. Guadagnini of Turin, Italy.