NYC Gazette

Angie Zhang, a Juilliard alumna who spent 13 years at the prestigious institution from the age of 10, has been charting her own path in the world of music. After leaving New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic, she relocated to Ann Arbor and is currently completing her doctorate in piano performance and master's in fortepiano performance at the University of Michigan.

Zhang continues to cultivate her passion for music, a sentiment echoed by Emanuel Ax, a fellow Juilliard alumnus and faculty member from 1990 to 2023. Ax once told Zhang: "We’re so lucky to do what we do." Today, Zhang balances a full-time performing career with teaching and entrepreneurial projects that underscore the role of an artist as a citizen.

In recent years, Zhang has achieved notable recognition in her field. In the fall of last year, she won third prize at the International Chopin Competition on Period Instruments in Warsaw. She was also named one of five finalists for the 2025 American Pianists Association Award. Following her success in Poland, she attended the Perlman Music Program which she described as "a lot of fun and a big reunion."

In 2022, Zhang's accomplishments continued to accumulate. She was awarded the grand prize at the Music Academy’s Innovation Institute and secured her first full-time professorship in piano, cello, and music theory. That same year, she made her debut at La Jolla Music Society SummerFest where she performed alongside Artist Diploma cellist Sterling Elliott (BM ’21, MM ’23) and Tessa Lark (Artist Diploma ’17, violin).

Moreover, Zhang won both audience and best Beethoven violin and piano sonata prizes (with Martin Beaver) at the Honens International Piano Competition in fall. She also performed Beethoven’s entire works for cello and piano (sonatas and variations) with Zlatomir Fung (BM ’21, cello), a recent addition to Juilliard’s faculty.

Zhang reflects on the diverse ways in which she and her fellow alumni are applying their Juilliard education to serve the public. She invites others to share their own 'Life After Juilliard' stories by reaching out via email.