Hannah Chang Appointed as First Female President of Seoul Arts Center

Renowned cellist and conductor Hannah Chang, 43, has been appointed as the president of the Seoul Arts Center. She is the first female musician to hold this position since the center's opening in 1987, and she is also the youngest to do so.

According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Chang will receive her appointment letter from Minister Choi Hwi-young on the 24th and will begin her three-year term.

Minister Choi stated, "Conductor Chang possesses extensive field experience and leadership accumulated over 32 years, along with a network of exchanges with global music organizations and musicians. She has a deep understanding and insight into the performing arts as a whole. At this crucial time when K-culture is expanding globally, we expect her to present a new artistic vision for the Seoul Arts Center, Korea's representative platform for foundational arts, and to lead its advancement."

The position of president at the Seoul Arts Center is typically awarded to individuals with expertise in the cultural and artistic fields, field experience, institutional management skills (management/leadership), and an understanding of public interest.

Hannah Chang gained recognition as a cello prodigy when she won the Grand Prix at the 5th Rostropovich International Cello Competition at the age of 11 in 1994. She has since collaborated with top orchestras worldwide, including the Berlin Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, and London Symphony. In 2003, she was featured in Gramophone magazine's best concerto recordings and received the Echo Klassik Young Artist Award from the German Record Critics' Association the same year.

Chang made her official debut as a conductor at the age of 25 at the Seongnam International Youth Orchestra Festival in 2007. She has since been active in Europe, serving as the artistic and music director of the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra in Norway (2017-2025) and as the principal guest conductor of the Hamburg Symphony in Germany (2022-present).

In Korea, she has led the 'Hannah Chang's Absolute Classic Festival' at the Seongnam Arts Center (2009-2014) and is currently the artistic director of the 'Hannah Chang's Daejeon Grand Festival' at the Daejeon Arts Center (2024-present), where she continues to bring young musicians to the stage both domestically and internationally.

Reporter Dayeon Jeong, Ten Asia light@tenasia.co.kr