-
Shijun Wang, piano
As described by the Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung Heidelberg, "Shijun Wang is a fascinating, serious, and sensitive musician." A highly accomplished soloist and orchestral pianist, Dr. Wang has performed extensively throughout the United States, with appearances in California, Pennsylvania, New York, Arizona, Oklahoma, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, Utah, Texas, Michigan, Idaho, Connecticut, and New Jersey. His international engagements include performances in Germany, France, Norway, Spain, Bulgaria, Poland, Israel, Italy, China, Mexico, South Korea, and Japan.
Dr. Wang presented masterclasses, lectures, and recitals at more than half of major conservatories in China, including Shenyang Conservatory of Music, Xi'an Conservatory of Music, Sichuan Conservatory of Music, and Jilin College of the Arts. He was appointed Visiting Professor at the Xi'an Conservatory of Music, where he continues to present concerts and masterclasses each summer.
In addition to his academic work in China, Dr. Wang is a faculty member at several international music festivals, including the Puigcerdà Music Festival (Spain), Euro Arts Music Festival (Poland), East/West International Piano Festival (South Korea), Ameri-China International New York Piano Festival (New York City) and the Lancaster International Music Festival (Pennsylvania).
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when live performances were largely suspended, Dr. Wang took the initiative to self-produce complete performances and instructional tutorials of Chopin's Études, releasing them freely on YouTube and other online platforms. These educational videos have reached millions of viewers worldwide, offering valuable resources to both amateur and professional musicians.
Dr. Wang's recent orchestral engagements include performances of Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini with the Lafayette Symphony Orchestra, Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra and the Evening Stars Orchestra, as well as collaborations with the Duxbury Music Festival Orchestra, Manhattan Chamber Orchestra, Music Academy of the West Orchestra, and the Tulsa Signature Symphony Orchestra.
A prizewinner in numerous national and international competitions, Dr. Wang has received awards at the 65th Steinway Competition and the 8th Ettlingen International Competition for Young Pianists (Germany). In 2008, he was awarded Fifth Prize at the Hamamatsu Piano Academy in Japan, and in 2010, he won both First Prize and the Audience Prize at the Crescendo International Piano Competition in the United States.
Dr. Wang currently serves as Associate Professor of Piano and Director of the Keyboard Division at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He earned his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from The Juilliard School, where he studied with Oxana Yablonskaya and Joseph Kalichstein, and completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the Eastman School of Music under the mentorship of Nelita True. His musical development has been further shaped by influential musicians including Thomas Schumacher, Dan-Wen Wei, Alfred Brendel, Emanuel Ax, and Richard Goode.