Performances + Events
New England Conservatory will welcome four new musicians into its prestigious Institute for Concert Artists at the start of the 2026–2027 academic year. Violinist Leonhard Baumgartner ’28 AD, baritone Junhyuk (Paul) Jang ’28 AD, pianist Zitong Wang ’24 MM, ’26 GD, ’28 AD, and composer, trumpeter, improviser, and interdisciplinary artist Chris Ryan Williams ’28 AD comprise the incoming class of Artist Diploma candidates, joining pianist Clayton Stephenson ’23 Harvard/NEC, ’27 AD, who returns to the two-year program.
Williams will be the first Concert Artist in NEC’s Contemporary Musical Arts Department. Of the incoming Concert Artists, Wang is the only returning NEC student, having earned her master’s degree and graduate diploma from the Conservatory in 2024 and 2026, respectively.
Launched at the start of the 2024–2025 academic year, NEC’s Institute for Concert Artists offers a transformative experience for artists of extraordinary talent who are on the threshold of major performing careers. In addition to individually tailored mentorship from NEC’s distinguished faculty, and guidance from ICA Advisor Gloria Chien ’99, ’01 MM, ’04 DMA, the Conservatory’s Concert Artists enjoy unparalleled performance opportunities, professional-development resources, and access to the preeminent performers and innovative arts leaders on the Institute’s Advisory Council.
In the fall, NEC audiences will begin to get to know, and learn more about, artists whose careers are impressively ascendant.
Baumgartner gained international recognition after winning First Prize at the Eurovision Young Musicians Competition in 2024 and making his debut with the Norwegian Radio Orchestra. Jang will participate in the renowned Merola Opera Program in San Francisco this summer on his way from the Yale School of Music to NEC. Wang was awarded the Bronze Medal and the Krystian Zimerman Award for the Best Performance of a Sonata at the 2025 Fryderyk Chopin International Piano Competition. And Williams has had his works performed and presented in such celebrated venues as the Venice Biennale, Roulette Intermedium, Walt Disney Concert Hall, The Royal Danish Playhouse, National Sawdust, and Performa Biennial.
Stephenson, who graduated from the Harvard/NEC dual-degree program in 2023 and received an Avery Fisher Career Grant in 2024, was the first Black finalist at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2022, won the inaugural Nina Simone Piano Competition in 2024, and received the Sphinx Organization’s Medal of Excellence in 2025.
We spoke recently with each incoming Concert Artist about what they look forward to experiencing at NEC, and more.
Leonhard Baumgartner.
Q&A with Leonhard Baumgartner
Q: What do you look forward to experiencing in NEC’s Institute for Concert Artists, and what do you hope to eventually take away from the program?
A: I very much look forward to and am honored to be starting my studies in the Artist Diploma program at New England Conservatory, and to becoming part of a wonderful community and atmosphere. Already having met so many inspiring people there, including friends I already knew, it also feels like joining a musical family. I am especially excited to study with Miriam Fried, whom I admire greatly.
What I find so unique about the Artist Diploma program is that while it offers wonderful opportunities to concertise, it also comes with a certain responsibility to balance the flexibility provided through it thoughtfully — for instance by continuing musical engagements farther away while connecting to the artistic aspects of learning and growing in music throughout my studies. It comes with generous and unique support from the Conservatory and will have a meaningful impact on my future as a musician, which is why for me this new chapter is exciting, motivating, and full of good energy. And I honestly cannot wait for it to begin.
Q: What about the broader NEC experience — and living in Boston — excites you?
A: I very much like the campus experience and the student dorms. It feels like an atmosphere that carries the spirit of learning. Also something I personally associate with the City of Boston is so many young people coming together in one place, all with different backgrounds, ideas, and experiences, and leaving stronger, more inspired, and prepared for what comes next.
I am very excited to become part of this community, to meet people from different walks of life, and to learn both from the music around me and through other interests. I think that in general, especially for musicians, knowing different subjects is a gift and very cherished in our art.
Q: What are some of your interests outside of music-making?
A: I personally enjoy spending time in the mountains — for example skiing or hiking. I will miss them during my time in Boston, although on the other hand it will encourage me to continue my recently discovered interest in running, as a sport. I even heard of a marathon in the city of Boston! Other than sports, I enjoy spending time with my friends and family.
About Leonhard Baumgartner
Born in Vienna in 2007, Leonhard Baumgartner gained international recognition after winning First Prize at the Eurovision Young Musicians Competition in 2024 and making his debut with the Norwegian Radio Orchestra under Eivind Aadland.
Baumgartner has received major awards, including First Prize at the Zhuhai International Mozart Competition (2022), First and Special Prizes at the Ilona Fehér International Violin Competition (2024), the Discovery Award at the International Classical Music Awards (2023), and First and Audience Prizes at the Osaka International Music Competition (2024). At age 15, he made his debut with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra at the Wiener Konzerthaus and has since performed with leading orchestras across Europe.
Recent and upcoming highlights include performances of Brahms’s Violin Concerto at the Vienna Musikverein, Tchaikovsky’s, Bruch’s and Brahms’s double concertos in Salzburg, Oslo, and German cities, and a tour of Australia featuring Beethoven’s Violin Concerto with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra.
A dedicated chamber musician, Baumgartner has collaborated with such artists as Gidon Kremer and performs regularly with Alexander Warenberg and Nikola Meeuwsen, with whom he recorded an album for BR Radio featuring recordings of piano trios by Mendelssohn and Ravel. In 2024, he was selected to premiere and record a newly discovered work by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart for Deutsche Grammophon.
Baumgartner is mentored in the Stretton Excellence Mentorship Program under Vilde Frang and is supported by the Stretton Society and the Music Academy Liechtenstein. He studied with Dora Schwarzberg in Vienna and Ingolf Turban in Munich, and with R. Brandstätter in Graz, and has received artistic guidance from Leonidas Kavakos and Ana Chumachenco.
He performs on a 1683 Antonio Stradivari violin, the “ex Petherick,” generously on loan from a member of the Stretton Society, which is also supporting him through the Nina Gscheider and Florian Schwarz Scholarship.
Paul Jang.
Q&A with Paul Jang
Q: What do you look forward to experiencing in NEC’s Institute for Concert Artists, and what do you hope to eventually take away from the program?
A: My ultimate goal is to make the most of the resources and community offered by NEC to enhance my skills and versatility as a performer. While my foundation is in opera, I have a deep-seated love for the “stage” as a broader arena — a sacred space for performers of all genres. I enjoy being around those who excel in their own musical pursuits and take the opportunity to learn from them and to engage in dialogue with their distinctive views about making music at the highest level. I look forward to the Institute for Concert Artists because it provides the specific toolkit needed to become a truly versatile artist. I am eager to explore how different genres and performance styles can inform one another, breaking down the walls between traditional categories.
Ultimately, I hope to take away a refined ability to command any stage I step onto. I want to leave NEC not just as a singer, but as a complete performer who can pivot seamlessly between the grandeur of the opera house and the intimate, nuanced storytelling of the concert hall, facilitated by nuanced and collaborative communication with my non-vocalist peers.
Q: What about the broader NEC experience — and living in Boston — excites you?
A: My experience in the United States so far has been centered in the somewhat cloistered student environment of Yale in New Haven, so the more urban, colorful, and cosmopolitan nature of living in Boston is incredibly exciting.
Of course, I am excited to be surrounded by the community of artists both in NEC and more widely in Boston. To be able to walk into the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum or some of the experimental theater hubs will provide many enriching and provocative opportunities to engage with how others think, create, and live their art. To have that on your doorstep is something that shouldn’t be taken for granted.
Q: What are some of your interests outside of music-making?
A: I find a great deal of peace in cooking and doodling. I like to get out of my own head and relax while still engaging in some sort of “flow” of creative activity without overthinking or being too demanding on myself, as a break from my musical preparations. There is something meditative about starting with a collection of random ingredients or a blank sheet of paper and, through a deliberate process, ending up with something beautiful or nourishing that can be enjoyed on the spot.
I like to keep fit, whether it’s soccer, basketball, or the gym. I firmly believe that a healthy body is the prerequisite for a healthy mind. When “overthinking” kicks in, a game of soccer or a workout provides the solution, allowing me to reset and stay grounded.
About Paul Jang
South Korean baritone Paul Jang is quickly establishing himself as a compelling figure on the operatic stage, recognized for his dramatic versatility and powerful vocal presence. In July 2026, he will join the prestigious Merola Opera Program in San Francisco to perform the role of Harlekin in Richard Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos.
Since relocating to the United States, Jang has undertaken a diverse range of principal roles. In 2024, he garnered acclaim for his portrayal of Nick Shadow in Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress and the titular character in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi at Yale Opera. That summer, he appeared as Escamillo in Bizet’s Carmen at Music Academy of the West. Jang’s 2025 season included performances as lbn-Hakia in Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta and Garrido in Massenet’s La Navarraise at Yale and covering the role of The Forester in Janacek’s The Cunning Little Vixen (in Czech) for Des Moines Metro Opera. In early 2026, he performed the role of Marcello in La boheme at Yale.
Jang’s vocal excellence has been recognized at several of North America’s most prominent competitions. He was the United States Regional Winner of the 2024 International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition and a finalist at Chicago Lyric Opera’s 2024 Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Center auditions. In 2025, he won fourth place at the Loren L. Zachary Society for the Performing Arts’ National Vocal Competition for Young Opera Singers.
Originally from Seoul, Jang holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Hanyang University, where he studied under baritone Seng-Hyoun Ko, and a Master of Music degree from the Yale School of Music, where he currently studies with the renowned vocal consultant, professor, and Yale Opera Director Gerald Martin Moore. Jang is expected to earn his Master of Musical Arts degree from the Yale School of Music in 2026.
Zitong Wang.
Q&A with Zitong Wang
Q: What do you look forward to experiencing in NEC’s Institute for Concert Artists, and what do you hope to eventually take away from the program?
A: I am especially drawn to the Institute for Concert Artists for its strong emphasis on performance and its close connection to the professional concert world. At this stage of my artistic development, I feel that this program offers exactly the kind of environment I am seeking.
I am particularly excited about the opportunity to work closely with such distinguished faculty and to be part of a community of highly accomplished and inspiring musicians. Being surrounded by artists at this level is something I find both motivating and invaluable for my own growth.
Through my time at NEC, I hope to further refine my artistic voice, gain meaningful stage experience, and develop into a more mature and communicative artist.
Q: What about the broader NEC experience — and living in Boston — continues to excite you?
A: Having already spent several years living in Boston, I have come to deeply appreciate the city’s rich cultural and musical life. I look forward to continuing to explore its vibrant artistic scene and finding new sources of inspiration both within and beyond NEC.
Q: What are some of your interests outside of music-making?
A: Outside of music, I am particularly drawn to literature and film, especially art-house cinema. I am fascinated by how films shape narrative, atmosphere, and emotional pacing, and I often find these elements influencing the way I think about musical interpretation and structure.
Having spent several years in Boston, I have also come to appreciate its rich film culture, including its many festivals and screenings, even if I tend to engage with these experiences in a more quiet and personal way.
I also value quiet time on my own, which allows me to reflect, recharge, and approach my work with greater clarity and depth.
About Zitong Wang
Zitong Wang has captivated audiences with her authenticity, bravura, and sensitivity, most
notably at the 19th Fryderyk Chopin International Piano Competition (2025), where she was
awarded the Bronze Medal and the Krystian Zimerman Award for the Best Performance of a Sonata.
She has appeared at such major venues as the Berlin Philharmonie, Warsaw
Philharmonic, Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre, Seoul Arts Center, and the National Centre for
the Performing Arts in Beijing. As a concerto soloist, she has performed with such leading
orchestras as the Philadelphia Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Warsaw Philharmonic, and New Jersey Symphony.
An active chamber musician, Wang has performed with such artists as David Shifrin and
Roberto Díaz and was selected as a Protégé Project Artist at Chamber Music Northwest.
She is currently pursuing her graduate studies with Dang Thai Son at New England
Conservatory, after studies at the Curtis Institute of Music with Meng-Chieh Liu and the
late Eleanor Sokoloff, and at the Central Conservatory of Music.
Chris Ryan Williams. Photo by Jojo Smith.
Q&A with Chris Ryan Williams
Q: What do you look forward to experiencing in NEC’s Institute for Concert Artists, and what do you hope to eventually take away from the program?
A: I’m looking forward to having an opportunity to collaborate with the faculty and students at NEC and expanding my practice in composition.
Q: What about the broader NEC experience — and living in Boston — excites you?
A: The degree of excellence and breadth of musical worlds available via NEC is very exciting!
Q: What are some of your interests outside of music-making?
A: Hiking, visiting caves, and generally being out in nature.
About Chris Ryan Williams
Chris Ryan Williams is an artist and musician whose work unfolds through electroacoustic composition and performance installation. His EP Live earned praise from Jazz Right Now and The Quietus for its “dazzling collaged pieces that ricochet between improvised passages and written material” (Peter Margasak, The Quietus). His debut LP, Odu: Vibration II, praised by Pitchfork and named one of NPR’s Best New Albums, reimagines a journey through Plato’s Cave. Williams’s work has been performed and presented extensively across the United States and Europe, including at the Venice Biennale, Roulette Intermedium, Walt Disney Concert Hall, The Royal Danish Playhouse, National Sawdust, and Performa Biennial. He has received commissions from the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, WasteLAnd, the American Composers Forum, and the International Contemporary Ensemble.
Collaborative exchange forms a vital part of Williams’s practice. He has worked with such creators as Ralph Lemon, Eyvind Kang, Patrick Shiroishi, Bennie Maupin, Nicole Mitchell, Imani Dennison, Wendy Eisenberg, Luke Stewart, Pink Siifu, and Marjani Forte-Saunders. Williams also maintains an ongoing collaboration with cellist Lester St. Louis under the moniker HxH, a duo described by Piotr Orlov (Pioneer Works) as having “embraced the challenge of bringing laptop instrumentalism into a wide personal world by making sounds that are at once art-minded and accessible, and true to the tenets of spontaneous composition and social music.”
