The Cleveland Orchestra announced in early April that pianist Da Wang ’09 has been chosen as one its two Artist-in-Residence Fellows. He achieved the distinction through a competitive audition process, and will work in close collaboration with acclaimed pianist and Cleveland Orchestra Artist-in-Residence Pierre-Laurent Aimard. Wang, a student of Professor of Piano Robert Shannon, says that he is “very excited and happy” about the honor.

Five students representing three area music schools, nominated by their respective faculty, auditioned for this new opportunity, according to Cleveland Orchestra Executive Director Gary Hanson. The artistic focus of the orchestra’s new fellowship program is contemporary music of the 20th and 21st centuries.

In both April and September 2008, Wang will be immersed in a week of private coaching sessions with Aimard, who many consider an important figure in contemporary music. These lessons will coincide with the pianist’s appearances as soloist with the Cleveland Orchestra. Also in September, Wang will perform in a public master class that Aimard will conduct in Severance Hall. As an Artist-in-Residence Fellow, Wang will be able to attend Cleveland Orchestra rehearsals during the two weeks of Aimard’s engagements.

Born in Shenyang, China, Wang began studying piano at the age of five. He graduated from the Shenyang Conservatory in 2005, following studies there with Rosemary Platt. He won first prize in Oberlin’s International Piano Competition in July 2004, when he was 17 years old. His winning Oberlin’s coveted Arthur Dann Competition four years later serves as a bookend to that first Oberlin honor.

For the orchestra’s fellowship opportunity, Wang was asked to submit a list of repertoire that he would be prepared to play. For his audition, he performed Messiaen’s Regard de l’Esprit de Joie, Chopin’s Mazurka in C-sharp minor, and the Volodos transcription of Mozart’s Turkish March. Also included in his repertoire was music by Schubert.

“Da… is an exciting virtuoso and an electric personality who relishes the challenge of difficult works,” says Professor Shannon. “I’m thrilled that he’ll have the input of Aimard, particularly in Messiaen and Schubert—not easy composers … to ‘get.’”

Adjudicators for the audition were Joela Jones, principal keyboard of the Cleveland Orchestra; Jayce Ogren, one of the ensemble’s assistant conductors; and its assistant artistic administrator, Randy Elliot.

According to Hanson, the Artist-in-Residence Program was established in 2001, with support from the Malcolm E. Kenney Artist-in-Residence Fund, to create deeper relationships between the Cleveland Orchestra and great performing artists. “We also want to provide the opportunity for the most talented music students of Northeastern Ohio to work with these artists as well as with the Cleveland Orchestra,” he says. “We plan to continue to identify excellent students to work with more artists in the future.”

The opportunity for Oberlin students to connect with what is arguably one of the best orchestras in the world is nothing new. Music Director and Conductor Franz Welser-Möst, has involved Conservatory students in many Cleveland Orchestra performance and rehearsal opportunities in recent years. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Music degree from Oberlin in 2006.

The ongoing collaboration that exists between the Cleveland Orchestra and the Conservatory builds upon a core element of Oberlin’s mission: professional training and contact with one of the world’s great orchestras is vital to a formal music education.

For his part, Hanson says that the orchestra is always interested in uncovering “more ways we can support higher education in music.”