Clara Zhang, President, Co-Founder
Clara is a student at Highland Park High School in Illinois. She is a classical pianist who is also enthusiastic about world music. She has had exposure to many musical instruments from around the world, such as the djembe, ukulele, ocarina, alto recorder, cabasa, vibraslap, guiro, clave, sleigh bells, wooden agogo, maracas, xylophone, marimba, organ, and harpsichord. She admires how each instrument can produce unique music and is fascinated by compositions that synthesize non-Western influences. She hopes to give others the joy to experience various music and show the value of artistic diversity through MusicConnects.
Eric Wang, Events and Community Performance Director
Eric is a student at Wilmette Junior High School in Illinois. He is a pianist and violist. Eric is passionate about all kinds of music and curious about the vast distinctions that have developed musically between different cultures. Eric hopes to spread his passion and curiosity to foster a more embracing and eager-to-learn community.
Harry Zhang, Founder, Artistic Director
Harry founded MusicConnects in 2021 when he was in high school. Growing up as a classically trained pianist, he had little exposure to non-Western music. However, with a slow introduction to world music through pieces such as Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsodies, which had structures reminiscent of Romani improvisation, as well as the jazz style from Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, he began to notice elements of cultural music present in the classical atmosphere. With further exploration, Harry has continued to discover and appreciate all types of music. Through MusicConnects, he hopes to help others develop respect and appreciation for different cultures and music that connects us all.
