Dr. Jing Chang is an active concert pianist with an international career as both a soloist and chamber musician. She maintains an active performance career in the greater Chicago area and abroad. As a concerto soloist, she has performed with the University of Minnesota Orchestra, the Kenwood Symphony Orchestra, and the Missouri S&T Orchestra. Her performances have also included solo recitals and chamber music appearances throughout the United States and China. Her artistic accomplishments include first prizes in the University of Minnesota Concerto Competition, the Maestros Concerto and Aria Competition of Kenwood Symphony Orchestra, and prizes in the Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition, as well as recognition as a semi-finalist in the Dallas International Piano Competition. Among her notable appearances in China was a performance at the Steinway & Sons 150th Anniversary Celebration & Concert in Beijing’s Forbidden City.

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Beyond her career as a concert pianist, Dr. Chang has led the “Historical Improvisation Recital” series each semester, featuring student compositions and piano arrangements. This career-oriented pedagogy emphasizes creative engagement with repertoire across classical, choral, musical theater, pop, jazz and instrumental music, enabling students to experience beyond note-by-note reading toward the development of professional competencies aligned with diverse career pathways.  She also performance her own new solo projects each semester, and support students in expanding beyond technical limitations in piano playing.

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Academically, Dr. Chang earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance from the University of Minnesota, where she was awarded a full teaching assistantship and served as primary instructor of class piano and applied piano. She also holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the China Conservatory of Music and subsequently served on its faculty as an assistant professor. Since 2019, Dr. Chang has pursued advanced training in the Professional Adults Program at the Dalcroze School of the Rockies for three academic years, deepening her specialization in the integration of Dalcroze Eurhythmics, improvisation, and piano interpretation. 

As an interdisciplinary scholar, Dr. Chang is currently completing a master’s degree of Science in Management with a focus on Organizational Behavior, further expanding her interdisciplinary expertise. Integrating perspectives from organizational behavior, cognitive and behavioral psychology, and business studies into music education and performance training, her work focuses on career-oriented training that prepares students with real-world professional skills and the adaptability required in today’s rapidly evolving musical landscape. She examines how musicians can develop in addition to artistic excellence, including the psychological resilience, adaptability, leadership, marketing, and professional competencies essential for a sustainable career. This interdisciplinary approach supports the holistic development and equip students to distinguish themselves in an increasingly competitive and multifaceted professional market.

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Dr. Chang is an active presenter at major music conferences and has been invited to present at the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy (NCKP), the Illinois State Music Teachers Association conferences, the North Shore Music Teachers Association, and the Kenosha-Racine Music Teachers Association. Her presentations include topics such as, “Acceptance of Fear -Performance Anxiety and Defense Mechanisms Beyond Conscious Control”, “Historical Improvisation - Developing Career-Ready Musicians through Piano Arrangement and Improvisation from Baroque to Jazz and Pop”, “Organizational Behavior in Music Education - Applying Behavioral Science and Psychological Intervention to Enhance Teaching, Learning, and Performance,” “Off-Bench Activities in Private Lessons: Internalizing Musical Elements through Dalcroze Eurhythmics,” and “Integrating Tai Chi Principles into Piano Playing.” She has also directed international music festivals and led virtual workshops across multiple cities in China, engaging participants ranging from young musicians to professional adults.