Jih-Sheng Huang

Born on January, 26th, 1981 I was always a lively child pretending everything to be a set of drums and driving my mother crazy. Due to a popular saying at the time, ”kids that learn music don’t turn bad” , my mother sent me to Yamaha to learn basic music. My music loving parents only hoped that introducing me to music would tame my active nature, but never thought it would be forever rooted in my life. The basic studies at Yamaha didn’t seem to satisfy my young lust for music. Therefore I began taking lessons of piano from private teacher. In fourth grade, I applied to study in Chi Hsien Elementary School’s special art class as well as special music classes of three other elementary schools. In the end I decided to further my studies in music in the traditional Chinese music class in Chien Chin Elementary School. At that time my main instrument was still the piano and I chose to also practice the cello because it was the only western instrument in a traditional Chinese orchestra. Other then brushing up my cello skills before tests, I left my cello to the dusts. My father who works in a shipping company always joked that my playing sounded like a ship coming into port. This continued until I met Mr. Chen Cheh Ming in sixth grade. With his creative and inspirational teachings, I built up a great interest in the cello. After getting into the special music class in Shin Hsing Junior High School, I stilled majored in piano. My major shift to the cello began after doing well in several contests. During the school year I was even invited by our program director to perform a cello solo in the All Kaohsiung Junior High School Music Concert. My success in this performance gave me a great urge to continue pursuing advanced studies in the cello. In high school at Kaohsiung Senior High School I began to major in cello and minor in piano. I performed well in school wide contests and participated in the school orchestra’s performance of Tchaikovsky: Variation of Rococo, which won great praises. That same year I participated in the International Music Camp held in Kansas. Aside from holding several personal concerts, I received first place in chamber music for participating in a piano trio. The next year I was invited by the Management of New Arts Company to participate in a clinic by Yo-Yo Ma. The points and the compliment given to me by the maestro have carried me since. In April that same year I was admitted with honors to the music department of the National Taiwan Normal University. As cellist for the Asian Youth Orchestra in 1999 I had the honor of working with world renowned violinist Gil Shaham and touring western United States and Canada. In the year 2000, also with the Asian Youth Orchestra, I had the honor of performing with violinist Lin Chao Liang and Art in trios across Asia and also at the opening ceremony of the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Other than performing lead cellist in the school orchestra in college, I also worked with Taipei Century Orchestra, Taipei County Symphony Orchestra, Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra, Yu Tze Small Symphony Orchestra and the Taipei Youth Orchestra as guest cellist. Between 2003 and 2005 I served in the Ministry National Defense Orchestra. There I learned to play the clarinet to participate in the band and, as lead cellist, led the orchestra at state banquets and inaugural ceremonies. In 2005 I was accepted with flying colors to music graduate school of Taipei National University of the Arts, National Taiwan Normal University, and National Taipei University of Education. In June that same year, I received a full sponsorship to go to Chiba, Japan to participate in the Music Masters Course in Kazusa. Participating in chamber music, I was also invited to perform at Asahi Beer’s music fest where I earned great remarks.