After two years of living in Tianjin, three collaborative piano alumni, Polina Charnetskaia, Zhanyi Fan, and Yuexing Zhang, share some of their most memorable experiences as Tianjin Juilliard students.
Polina Charnetskaia (MM ’23, collaborative piano)
Having previously studied in Russia and Switzerland, the only constant I am pursuing is a place where I can keep playing music with wonderful musicians. I felt that Tianjin Juilliard was a great chance to learn from another culture and to meet new people, and I am very grateful for the opportunity to be part of such an amazing community of musicians.
One of my most memorable experiences at Tianjin Juilliard was my first concert, a Liederabend performance that was dedicated to Chinese art and folk Songs. That was my first deep interaction with Chinese culture, music, and language. Of course, it was very challenging because I had never accompanied art songs in Chinese before. Even with translations, it was a completely unknown language. However, this experience proved that music is a language itself. Even when we do not share a spoken language, collaborative pianists, singers, and instrumentalists can still connect with each other. To me, that is the essence of collaboration.
Collaboration is based on human connection. We all have our own ideas and the desire to share them. Sometimes, we may agree or disagree, but that is part of life. It is human nature to collaborate, to be part of a community, and to contribute something that makes the world better. As a musician, I think it is very important to share responsibilities and support each other. If rehearsals foster trust, our connection will shine through on stage.
My life now is a unique experience. I look forward to staying in China and sharing my experience working in orchestras, teaching, playing chamber music, and collaborating with singers and instrumentalists.
Zhanyi Fan (MM ’23, collaborative piano)
I was raised in a musical family. My mother is an amazing soprano and a music teacher. She is my first piano teacher as well, and when I turned 7 years old, she took me to Beijing and started to study with professors from Central Conservatory of Music on a weekly basis.
After finishing my high school in Tianjin, I went to the United States to pursue a bachelor's degree. At the beginning, I got admitted into the Business School of Ohio University to study Finance. In my sophomore year, the Dean of the College of Music within my university heard me practicing in one of their practice rooms. He told me that I could study both Finance and Piano at the same time if I wanted to and he offered me a full tuition scholarship for my piano degree. As a result, I graduated with a double degree in Finance and Piano Performance.
I was thinking about taking a gap year or so for my career in order to elevate to the next level. I heard on the news that Tianjin Juilliard was accepting applications for the Graduate Studies program. My eyes lit up at this news. I got the feeling that Juilliard came this long way to me, to my hometown. Having put my dreams of playing music on pause earlier, I would not forgive myself if I did not try at least once.
The structure of our major is built to prepare us to become successful collaborative pianists in every aspect. Besides learning from the outstanding teachers within the studio, the most valuable and advantage experience for us collaborative pianists was learning from all the faculty members from other departments within the school.
I learned how to play a better legato line from the cello studio, I learned how to create a dark, cushioned sound from the brass studio, I learned how to take a nice breath from my oboe and clarinet playing friends, and I learned how to match the tone color of a minor chord with the text of a German lied.
My journey within the Collaborative Piano major has transcended individual instruments, broadening my horizons of collaborative artistry. This transformative experience has paved a dynamic pathway toward becoming a versatile and well-rounded musician.
Yuexing Zhang (MM ’23, collaborative piano)
I still remember the first day when I walked into Tianjin Juilliard. I saw a brand-new world of music—the opportunities to learn from our mentors, the detailed rehearsals among students, and the excellent performances that resulted from the joint efforts of the Tianjin Juilliard community. All these scenes displayed the significance of the “collaborative spirit" embodied at Tianjin Juilliard.
After graduation, I will keep moving toward my musical goals with the knowledge and skills I learned here. Young as I am, I will make music the pursuit of my entire life, and I will dedicate myself to passing the treasurable knowledge I learned to more people who love music.